With a hidden FBI camera rolling inside a New York hotel suite in 2003, an unsuspecting Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic candidate for president, spoke candidly.
Sharpton offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win a multimillion-dollar business deal, if White helped him raise $50,000 for politics.
White offered $25,000. "If you bring my guys up on this hedge fund, and I have the right conversation," White said, "I'll give you what you need."
"Cool," Sharpton said.
The Inquirer obtained an account of the May 9, 2003, conversation, which was recorded as part of the Philadelphia City Hall corruption case. The tape helped spark a separate inquiry into Sharpton's 2004 campaign and his civil-rights organization, the National Action Network. The FBI-IRS probe resurfaced publicly Wednesday, when Sharpton aides received subpoenas.
In an interview yesterday, Sharpton said there is "absolutely nothing illegal" about tying business deals to fund-raising because he is not a public official.
"The tapes vindicate me," Sharpton said. "They show that I did not talk about bribing a public official or paying money under the table."
The video was recorded by an FBI camera hidden in a lamp inside Suite 34A at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan. Sharpton and White were introduced by La-Van Hawkins, a Detroit businessman.
At the time, FBI agents were investigating White and Hawkins, suspecting that they were involved in pay-to-play in Philadelphia - raising campaign funds for Mayor Street and others in order to win municipal contracts for favored donors. Later FBI agents in the case infamously placed a bug in Street's office, but it was discovered before it recorded anything.
FBI agents tapping White's phones in 2003 recorded more than 20 conversations between White and Sharpton, most of them related to fund-raising for the presidential campaign and an effort to secure a $40 million pension-fund deal in New York.
About a year later, White, Hawkins and a dozen others, including former City Treasurer Corey Kemp, were indicted in Philadelphia on federal pay-to-play corruption charges.
White died before trial. Hawkins was convicted of fraud and perjury and sentenced to 33 months. Kemp is serving a 10-year sentence for corruption, bribery and fraud.
No charges were brought related to Sharpton or the proposed New York pension-fund deal, which never materialized.
However, as The Inquirer reported in 2005, the New York-based investigation of Sharpton has continued. Sources said agents in that case are examining whether Sharpton violated campaign-finance laws or used money donated to his National Action Network for personal use.
FBI spokesman James Margolin in New York declined to comment yesterday.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Slim Shady Sharpton Strikes Again
Al "Slim Shady" Sharpton strikes again. This time, he's the star in a direct-to-video release courtesy of the FBI:
Democrats Cave On FISA and War Funding... Again
Once again, Congressional Democrats simply can't muster the votes or the backbone to stand up for the principles they claim to have. Their most vocal members have wanted to stop the funding of the war.
They couldn't do that.
They tried to radically amend FISA.
They couldn't do that either.
No, what happened is that the lame duck president and a GOP minority were able to not only hold the line, but get timetables stripped from the war funding measures. The Administration got what it wanted, albeit months late.
Those unable to muster the backbone to vote on the measure: presidential candidates Biden (D-DE), Clinton (D-NY), Dodd (D-CT), McCain (R-AZ), and Obama (D-IL). Running for president apparently means missing important votes that might have to be explained to voters before the general election. Boxer (D-CA) and Inouye (D-HI) also didn't vote.
It also looks like Congress is going to cave to the Administration on FISA.
Congress enjoys playing games with the war funding and national security matters, which helps explain why no one actually approves of the job Congress is doing. The transparent leftist agenda by the Democrats has soured most everyone on Congress and the leadership by Pelosi and Reid - leftist Democrats don't like the job they're doing because they can't follow through on their promises, and everyone else doesn't like the job they're doing because they are trying to follow through on those same promises.
And what makes this especially interesting is that it comes in the form of a Friday Night news dump. The Democrats had to bury this information so that their base didn't go completely nuts (again). Indeed, far from running headlines, the New York Times has only a minor link to it on their front page - precisely because passing the budget with no strings attached is yet another stinging defeat for the Democrats but a victory for the Administration and those who want to see the war effort through to completion and victory.
Others blogging: Michelle Malkin, Gateway Pundit, Blue Star Chronicles.
They couldn't do that.
They tried to radically amend FISA.
They couldn't do that either.
No, what happened is that the lame duck president and a GOP minority were able to not only hold the line, but get timetables stripped from the war funding measures. The Administration got what it wanted, albeit months late.
The Democratic-led Congress authorized more Iraq war spending on Friday, sending President Bush a defense bill requiring no change in strategy after failing again to impose a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals.The Senate voted 90-3 to fund the war effort and the military budget. Voting against? Byrd, Feingold, and Saunders.
The defense policy bill, approved 90-3 by the Senate, also expanded the size of the U.S. Army and set conditions on the Bush administration’s plan to build a missile defense system in Europe.
The measure already had passed the House and now goes to Bush, who is expected to sign it into law. It authorizes Pentagon programs expected to cost $506.9 billion during fiscal 2008, which began in October.
The bill authorized another $189.4 billion for the Iraq and Afghan wars, for which Congress has already approved some $600 billion. But it does not deliver the new money. That is done by appropriations legislation at the center of a big dispute on Capitol Hill.
Those unable to muster the backbone to vote on the measure: presidential candidates Biden (D-DE), Clinton (D-NY), Dodd (D-CT), McCain (R-AZ), and Obama (D-IL). Running for president apparently means missing important votes that might have to be explained to voters before the general election. Boxer (D-CA) and Inouye (D-HI) also didn't vote.
It also looks like Congress is going to cave to the Administration on FISA.
Congress enjoys playing games with the war funding and national security matters, which helps explain why no one actually approves of the job Congress is doing. The transparent leftist agenda by the Democrats has soured most everyone on Congress and the leadership by Pelosi and Reid - leftist Democrats don't like the job they're doing because they can't follow through on their promises, and everyone else doesn't like the job they're doing because they are trying to follow through on those same promises.
And what makes this especially interesting is that it comes in the form of a Friday Night news dump. The Democrats had to bury this information so that their base didn't go completely nuts (again). Indeed, far from running headlines, the New York Times has only a minor link to it on their front page - precisely because passing the budget with no strings attached is yet another stinging defeat for the Democrats but a victory for the Administration and those who want to see the war effort through to completion and victory.
Others blogging: Michelle Malkin, Gateway Pundit, Blue Star Chronicles.
No Sympathy for the Gazans
Let's see how much sympathy you can generate from this WaPo story carried by MSNBC.
My sympathy meter is pegged at 0.
Gaza's residents screwed themselves and have only themselves to blame for this situation. They've voted for and enabled terrorists to run Gaza, and instead of engaging in building a civil administration and infrastructure, all the Palestinians have done is build rockets with pipes meant for sewage systems and fired 3,500 of them at Israel since Israel withdrew in 2005.
Why should Israel provide anything to Gaza in return? Gaza is clearly at war with Israel, and as such shouldn't be entitled to anything. Yet, the world demands Israel ignore the rocket attacks, the pain and misery inflicted by such attacks and make still more concessions to Palestinians in the name of peace, which the Palestinians repeatedly state is not what they're after. They're after the destruction of Israel.
Still, Israel does provide electricity, food, and medicine to go into Gaza; that is when Hamas isn't busy stealing it or attacking the border crossings.
My sympathy meter is pegged at 0.
Gaza's residents screwed themselves and have only themselves to blame for this situation. They've voted for and enabled terrorists to run Gaza, and instead of engaging in building a civil administration and infrastructure, all the Palestinians have done is build rockets with pipes meant for sewage systems and fired 3,500 of them at Israel since Israel withdrew in 2005.
Why should Israel provide anything to Gaza in return? Gaza is clearly at war with Israel, and as such shouldn't be entitled to anything. Yet, the world demands Israel ignore the rocket attacks, the pain and misery inflicted by such attacks and make still more concessions to Palestinians in the name of peace, which the Palestinians repeatedly state is not what they're after. They're after the destruction of Israel.
Still, Israel does provide electricity, food, and medicine to go into Gaza; that is when Hamas isn't busy stealing it or attacking the border crossings.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Hot Air in Bali
They're wrapping up the global warming conference in Bali, attended by 10,000 delegates from around the world, and lo and behold, they've determined that the most serious issue of our time (indeed, of all time) can be negotiated for the next two years.
They've punted the issue, and like the Annapolis summit on the Arab-Israeli conflict, they're agreeing to continue talking. For two more years.
Big deal.
The real story isn't that they're going to continue talking, but what they're looking to do - they want to impose taxes on everyone who emits or purchases items that emit. In other words, the UN is looking to tax the bejeebus out of the West, and in particular the US. That's money that is going to come out of our pockets, and right into the pockets of the UN, which should raise all manner of red flags, but so far hasn't.
China and other third world countries want to stick it to the US, even as their own emissions choke the rest of the world in toxic gases (and I'm not talking about COx, but rather acid rain and other pollutants from coal fired factories, power plants, and millions of kitchens that rely on coal or charcoal for heating and cooking).
The US wants to apply a market based approach. The US has seen its emissions drop, despite the fact that the US rejected the Kyoto Protocols under President Clinton in the 1990s. Europe, which adopted the protocols, has failed to meet its targets.
At a news conference, Yvo de Boer, the executive secretary of the United Nations climate-change agency that sponsored the talks, who on Thursday raised serious concerns about the slow pace of the talks, said that countries were “on the brink of agreement.”If this is such a pressing issue, why give two years? Wasn't Al Gore warning that without immediate action, all hell would break loose? Polar ice caps would melt? Sea levels rise and flooding and all manner of natural phenomenon would be unleashed?
“It’s not actually all that much that is outstanding,” he said. “People are working very hard to resolve outstanding issues.”
An agreement in Bali offers the possibility that the world will spend the next two years negotiating a treaty that limits greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately slows the warming of the planet. Yet the difficultly of simply agreeing to these negotiations portends an acrimonious two years once they begin.
The differences in philosophy at the meeting were striking and fundamental. European Union negotiators said they favored specific government-imposed caps on emissions and wanted industrial countries to lead the way. The United States favors relying on the market — higher oil, natural gas and coal prices will drive consumers away from fossil fuels, their delegates said — as well as technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Developing countries, a vaguely defined group that includes such members as diverse as China and Costa Rica, refer to the historical responsibility of countries that became rich with the convenience of burning coal and oil for energy — a luxury developing countries may not afforded.
They've punted the issue, and like the Annapolis summit on the Arab-Israeli conflict, they're agreeing to continue talking. For two more years.
Big deal.
The real story isn't that they're going to continue talking, but what they're looking to do - they want to impose taxes on everyone who emits or purchases items that emit. In other words, the UN is looking to tax the bejeebus out of the West, and in particular the US. That's money that is going to come out of our pockets, and right into the pockets of the UN, which should raise all manner of red flags, but so far hasn't.
China and other third world countries want to stick it to the US, even as their own emissions choke the rest of the world in toxic gases (and I'm not talking about COx, but rather acid rain and other pollutants from coal fired factories, power plants, and millions of kitchens that rely on coal or charcoal for heating and cooking).
The US wants to apply a market based approach. The US has seen its emissions drop, despite the fact that the US rejected the Kyoto Protocols under President Clinton in the 1990s. Europe, which adopted the protocols, has failed to meet its targets.
Algeria: Freed Terrorists Caused Algiers Bombing
Freed terrorists responsible for UN bombing.
This is an attack that is likely not to have occurred had the Algerian government not let these men free as part of an amnesty. It's the prime reason I'm opposed to letting the Palestinian thugs out of Israeli jails because they are likely to strike again, and it's the reason I'm opposed to letting the jihadis run free after being held in places like GitMo.
Two convicted terrorists who had been freed in an amnesty carried out the suicide bombings at U.N. and government buildings that killed 37 people, an Algerian security official has said.Revolving door justice is injustice, and where jihadis are concerned amnesty and open door policies are a threat to humanity. How many have to die for people to realize the folly of letting jihadis loose once caught?
Rescuers and bomb experts search for survivors in the rubble of a destroyed building.
Rescuers in the shaken city Thursday were still extracting the living and the dead from the crumpled remains of U.N. offices in Algiers that were bombed by al-Qaeda's self-styled North African affiliate.
Victims caught in Tuesday's twin truck bombings, which happened 10 minutes apart, included U.N. staff from around the world, police officers and law students.
One of the bombers was a 64-year-old man in the advanced stages of cancer, while the other was a 32-year-old from a poor suburb that has produced many Islamic militants, the security official said Thursday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
The government has offered amnesties to try to end a 15-year Islamic insurgency, resulting in thousands of militants turning themselves in, but sparking fierce criticism from the families of victims.
This is an attack that is likely not to have occurred had the Algerian government not let these men free as part of an amnesty. It's the prime reason I'm opposed to letting the Palestinian thugs out of Israeli jails because they are likely to strike again, and it's the reason I'm opposed to letting the jihadis run free after being held in places like GitMo.
Name That Party: Naked in New Jersey Edition
Sharpe James, Democrat and former Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, apparently billed adult movies and body lotions to the City of Newark on his many trips:
Indicted former Mayor Sharpe James billed the city for adult movies and body lotions while on a business trip, prosecutors allege in documents filed in federal court.Nice to see that the report ignores his political affiliation. Let's also recall that his successor, Cory Booker, was the one who uncovered problems with James' billing of trips and expenses.
The allegations were detailed in a Nov. 17 letter sent to James' defense attorneys but not put into the public record, pursuant to a judge's order, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported in Friday's editions.
Records allegedly show James, 71, stayed in a hotel room in Miami that was charged $21.95 for a movie block that gave guests 24-hour access to adult movie titles.
Alan L. Zegas, an attorney representing James, accused the government of using innuendo against his client.
The Rebuilding of Ground Zero, Part 8
Mrs. Lawhawk has emailed to inform me that there was an accident at the Goldman Sachs construction site across from Ground Zero this morning that injured at least one person.
UPDATE:
It was an architect working at the Goldman Sachs site that was critically injured when a crane lost its load of construction materials and it dropped on the trailer where the man was working. He's currently in critical condition at St. Vincent's Hospital.
Fire officials say a crane accident at a construction site across the street from ground zero crushed construction trailers and injured at least one worker.This traffic camera shows only a portion of the scene, which is on West Street across from Ground Zero. The incident took place at the upper right corner and off camera. Gothamist has more. Construction around Lower Manhattan, including Ground Zero, is a big concern. More than 100 projects are underway or contemplated, and the congestion and detours are ever present. It will be several years before things can even begin to return to the new normal.
Fire Department spokesman Tim Heaton says the crane dropped a load of steel it was carrying and crushed the trailers. At least one person was rescued; his condition was not immediately available.
Goldman Sachs Group is building a new headquarters at the site.
UPDATE:
It was an architect working at the Goldman Sachs site that was critically injured when a crane lost its load of construction materials and it dropped on the trailer where the man was working. He's currently in critical condition at St. Vincent's Hospital.
Curious Congressional Priorities
Congress is in the process of passing long overdue appropriations budgets. This item, however, struck me as most curious.
Are you kidding me?
We're in a war, and Congress is playing games with the intel budget again because they want a briefing on what Israel did September 6. I'm just as curious as everyone else following the September 6 raid, but to withhold a critical budget item because Congress wants to hear what US intel agencies know about the raid is the height of folly.
Congress, but holding the funds, would limit intel activities that are crucial and necessary to maintaining national security going forward because they want information on a raid that took place this past September by one of our allies against Syria, which harbors terrorist groups including Hizbullah, and whose regime undermines the territorial and political integrity of Lebanon.
Where is the sense in this?
Also covering this is Bryan at Hot Air, who provides me with the HT. Thanks.
UPDATE:
This provision was part of a larger bill that would ban waterboarding. It's within Congress's right to ban that procedure, but they (and us) will have to live with the repercussions.
The bill, a House-Senate compromise to authorize intelligence operations in 2008, also blocks spending 70 percent of the intelligence budget until the House and Senate intelligence committees are briefed on Israel's Sept. 6 air strike on an alleged nuclear site in Syria. (Reuters)Congress is going to withhold the overwhelming majority of the intel budget until the intel committees are briefed on the Israeli raid from September 6?
Are you kidding me?
We're in a war, and Congress is playing games with the intel budget again because they want a briefing on what Israel did September 6. I'm just as curious as everyone else following the September 6 raid, but to withhold a critical budget item because Congress wants to hear what US intel agencies know about the raid is the height of folly.
Congress, but holding the funds, would limit intel activities that are crucial and necessary to maintaining national security going forward because they want information on a raid that took place this past September by one of our allies against Syria, which harbors terrorist groups including Hizbullah, and whose regime undermines the territorial and political integrity of Lebanon.
Where is the sense in this?
Also covering this is Bryan at Hot Air, who provides me with the HT. Thanks.
UPDATE:
This provision was part of a larger bill that would ban waterboarding. It's within Congress's right to ban that procedure, but they (and us) will have to live with the repercussions.
Icy Relations
Relations between Hamas and Fatah remain icy - Hamas kidnapped a top Fatah thug in Gaza (Palestinian civil war round x?).
Then, at a funeral for other terrorists, someone lobbed a pipe bomb in to the crowd, killing 3 and wounding 30 more.
The Palestinian terrorists again fired kassam rockets at Israel.
Israel's measured response is apparently based on the threat that if Israel goes into Gaza to root out the very terrorists that are trying to kill still more Israelis with their incessant kassam rocket and mortar attacks, Hamas would kill Gilad Shalit.
Fatah's got big problems given that so many of its thugs turned around and joined up with Hamas in Gaza during the last round of the Palestinian civil war. Throwing money at the problem isn't going to solve it.
These are the terrorists with whom Israel is supposed to make peace?
UPDATE:
One Israeli woman was injured as that kassam rocket landed near an Israeli synogogue in Sderot.
UPDATE:
And again. Another kassam rocket hit Israel, damaging a kibbutz factory in the Negev but thankfully no injuries.
Israel continues to get hit with rocket after rocket, and the big media outlets ignore it to focus instead on the complaints by the Palestinians over how Israel is considering construction of housing in Jerusalem. Boo hoo. Palestinian terrorists are busy trying to kill Israelis, and the Israeli government treats it like a minor irritant and not an ongoing threat to Israel's national security. The Israeli government thinks that Fatah is a partner in peace even as Fatah thugs are involved in the attacks.
Then, at a funeral for other terrorists, someone lobbed a pipe bomb in to the crowd, killing 3 and wounding 30 more.
The Palestinian terrorists again fired kassam rockets at Israel.
Israel's measured response is apparently based on the threat that if Israel goes into Gaza to root out the very terrorists that are trying to kill still more Israelis with their incessant kassam rocket and mortar attacks, Hamas would kill Gilad Shalit.
Fatah's got big problems given that so many of its thugs turned around and joined up with Hamas in Gaza during the last round of the Palestinian civil war. Throwing money at the problem isn't going to solve it.
These are the terrorists with whom Israel is supposed to make peace?
UPDATE:
One Israeli woman was injured as that kassam rocket landed near an Israeli synogogue in Sderot.
UPDATE:
And again. Another kassam rocket hit Israel, damaging a kibbutz factory in the Negev but thankfully no injuries.
Israel continues to get hit with rocket after rocket, and the big media outlets ignore it to focus instead on the complaints by the Palestinians over how Israel is considering construction of housing in Jerusalem. Boo hoo. Palestinian terrorists are busy trying to kill Israelis, and the Israeli government treats it like a minor irritant and not an ongoing threat to Israel's national security. The Israeli government thinks that Fatah is a partner in peace even as Fatah thugs are involved in the attacks.
New Jersey Repealing Death Penalty After Unofficially Ending It 44 Years Ago
Today, Governor Jon Corzine and the state legislature will make a big deal about repealing the New Jersey death penalty statute. The media and death penalty foes are making a big deal about it as well. Convicted murderers seem to like the idea of getting rid of the death penalty as well.
One big problem.
The state unofficially ended the death penalty in 1963.
That was the last time someone was executed in the state under a death penalty statute, and while there are a handful of people on death row in New Jersey since the state reenacted a death penalty statute in 1976, no one has been executed. It's a penalty that has not been imposed.
The move is more symbolic than it is substantive.
Of course, all this comes at a time when the state has more pressing issues. Heck, New Jersey legislators couldn't be bothered to increase penalties on those who do not clear their vehicles of snow and ice, which injures or kills New Jersey residents annually. The Road Warrior has written about this issue in the past, and notes that there were other issues facing the Transportation committee such as dealing with monetizing toll roads and transportation funding, but that is a cop out by those legislators for doing their jobs.
Priorities.
One big problem.
The state unofficially ended the death penalty in 1963.
That was the last time someone was executed in the state under a death penalty statute, and while there are a handful of people on death row in New Jersey since the state reenacted a death penalty statute in 1976, no one has been executed. It's a penalty that has not been imposed.
The move is more symbolic than it is substantive.
Of course, all this comes at a time when the state has more pressing issues. Heck, New Jersey legislators couldn't be bothered to increase penalties on those who do not clear their vehicles of snow and ice, which injures or kills New Jersey residents annually. The Road Warrior has written about this issue in the past, and notes that there were other issues facing the Transportation committee such as dealing with monetizing toll roads and transportation funding, but that is a cop out by those legislators for doing their jobs.
Priorities.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Musing on the Mitchell Report
Well, I've had a bit of time to think on the Mitchell Report and its effect on baseball. I also got to listen to a bit of sports talk radio and that was surely entertaining.
Here's my two shekels.
The report is anything but a complete document, even at a mind boggling 408 pages. It barely scratches the surface and it omits some very prominent names that have been linked with performance enhancement over the past decade, including Sammy Sosa.
The people that were included in the report are those that Mitchell couldn't have gotten unless he caught two very lucky breaks.
Without Brian McNamee or Kirk Radomski, Mitchell would have had next to nothing to work with. He didn't have subpoena power, and the only current players who talked with him were Frank Thomas and Jason Giambi, and Giambi put himself in jeopardy by making an offhanded comment that he had taken some form of performance enhancing drugs. The other active players didn't talk, and there was absolutely no incentive for them to do so. Not talking has proved to be the more prudent step. That's not to say that was the right thing to do, just what these players determined was in their own interest. What the fans best interest was never played a role. Teams and owners looked the other way as players grew larger and faster and the numbers of homers went through the roof and attendance grew to match - so everyone was happy even though things were built on the fact that a significant number of players were juicing.
The rules by which Mitchell put this report together are not the rules of evidence that one would see in a court of law. Hearsay is the name of the game here, and competent lawyers would rip these reports to shreds for those named players. There are canceled checks and claims that money was given, but those players' lawyers could ask what was actually received in return. They could claim those were gifts. Hey, all they need to do in front of a jury is to raise reasonable doubt.
Already, you're seeing Clemens' representatives coming out and blasting the report and those accusing him in the report of using drugs. Defending against the smear is a tough job, and I really don't know if they're going to muster a legal case, because that means the dreaded discovery phase, where everyone's comments are fair game and the questions get real uncomfortable.
This report names less than 100 players, which itself is curious because the league admits that more than that number tested positive in the first year of steroid testing. Why the disconnect?
Commissioner Selig said that the report was a call to action and that the league would take action against those named. Fat chance. Nothing is going to happen without the union stepping in, and they're not going to let the League do anything against the players unless it's by the collective bargaining agreement. They're not going to let those players named get smeared by the report without a fight.
However, what really bugs me is not necessarily the big names that are on the list, but the lower tier guys. The ones that we skip over because we see names like Clemens or Pettite or Tejada.
I'm looking at the guys who made the big show because they took performance enhancing drugs. They didn't only get richer for doing it, but they kept someone else from making it big.
These players might have taken slots meant for someone else - someone who used only their raw talent and abilities without performance enhancing drugs.
Those players may have seen that they'd been passed over and felt that they too had no choice but to do something to get an edge; thus beginning a cruel cycle that adds to the problems in the league.
Then, there's the issue of the media reporting on this whole thing. This morning, legalbgl posted a leaked report showing the names of those implicated. That early list was wrong. Flat out wrong.
Names that were on that list were wrong. Where did that list come from? Who put that list together? Was that an early draft of the report, or did someone have something against a player like Johnny Damon or Wally Joyner or Albert Pujols, three names that got smeared in all this? Shoddy reporting and the quest to be first on the report definitely played a role here. I don't blame legalbgl for running with the report, which quickly made its way to Drudge and multiple outlets, and he did run updates and corrections as he went. The problem is that the sourcing on the original story was bad, and NBC needs to expose their source.
NBC has some explaining to do as they're the ones who ran those early stories and named names before the report was officially released by MLB.
UPDATE 12/14/2007:
The Smoking Gun has more on the timeline as to how NBC and Jonathan Dienst came to report the bogus list. NBC and Dienst have yet to apologize or explain their actions.
Here's my two shekels.
The report is anything but a complete document, even at a mind boggling 408 pages. It barely scratches the surface and it omits some very prominent names that have been linked with performance enhancement over the past decade, including Sammy Sosa.
The people that were included in the report are those that Mitchell couldn't have gotten unless he caught two very lucky breaks.
Without Brian McNamee or Kirk Radomski, Mitchell would have had next to nothing to work with. He didn't have subpoena power, and the only current players who talked with him were Frank Thomas and Jason Giambi, and Giambi put himself in jeopardy by making an offhanded comment that he had taken some form of performance enhancing drugs. The other active players didn't talk, and there was absolutely no incentive for them to do so. Not talking has proved to be the more prudent step. That's not to say that was the right thing to do, just what these players determined was in their own interest. What the fans best interest was never played a role. Teams and owners looked the other way as players grew larger and faster and the numbers of homers went through the roof and attendance grew to match - so everyone was happy even though things were built on the fact that a significant number of players were juicing.
The rules by which Mitchell put this report together are not the rules of evidence that one would see in a court of law. Hearsay is the name of the game here, and competent lawyers would rip these reports to shreds for those named players. There are canceled checks and claims that money was given, but those players' lawyers could ask what was actually received in return. They could claim those were gifts. Hey, all they need to do in front of a jury is to raise reasonable doubt.
Already, you're seeing Clemens' representatives coming out and blasting the report and those accusing him in the report of using drugs. Defending against the smear is a tough job, and I really don't know if they're going to muster a legal case, because that means the dreaded discovery phase, where everyone's comments are fair game and the questions get real uncomfortable.
This report names less than 100 players, which itself is curious because the league admits that more than that number tested positive in the first year of steroid testing. Why the disconnect?
Commissioner Selig said that the report was a call to action and that the league would take action against those named. Fat chance. Nothing is going to happen without the union stepping in, and they're not going to let the League do anything against the players unless it's by the collective bargaining agreement. They're not going to let those players named get smeared by the report without a fight.
However, what really bugs me is not necessarily the big names that are on the list, but the lower tier guys. The ones that we skip over because we see names like Clemens or Pettite or Tejada.
I'm looking at the guys who made the big show because they took performance enhancing drugs. They didn't only get richer for doing it, but they kept someone else from making it big.
These players might have taken slots meant for someone else - someone who used only their raw talent and abilities without performance enhancing drugs.
Those players may have seen that they'd been passed over and felt that they too had no choice but to do something to get an edge; thus beginning a cruel cycle that adds to the problems in the league.
Then, there's the issue of the media reporting on this whole thing. This morning, legalbgl posted a leaked report showing the names of those implicated. That early list was wrong. Flat out wrong.
Names that were on that list were wrong. Where did that list come from? Who put that list together? Was that an early draft of the report, or did someone have something against a player like Johnny Damon or Wally Joyner or Albert Pujols, three names that got smeared in all this? Shoddy reporting and the quest to be first on the report definitely played a role here. I don't blame legalbgl for running with the report, which quickly made its way to Drudge and multiple outlets, and he did run updates and corrections as he went. The problem is that the sourcing on the original story was bad, and NBC needs to expose their source.
NBC has some explaining to do as they're the ones who ran those early stories and named names before the report was officially released by MLB.
UPDATE 12/14/2007:
The Smoking Gun has more on the timeline as to how NBC and Jonathan Dienst came to report the bogus list. NBC and Dienst have yet to apologize or explain their actions.
The list was eventually yanked from the WNBC web site out of "an abundance of caution," the station reported in an updated story. The station has yet to retract (or apologize for) its original reporting.It's hilarious to read that it was retracted out of an abundance of caution. If there was an abundance of caution it would have been to check those names against MLB itself, which didn't appear to have happened. Instead, they went with the information they had. Yanking the list was out of caution of being sued (which could still happen because those who were listed by NBC could sue for defamation because they were not on the official Mitchell Report list). Because so many people linked to those early reports, I've gone back and stricken through the names of the earlier story so that no one gets the wrong names involved here.
Jury Deadlocked on 6 of 7 Sears Tower Terrorists
MIAMI - In a stinging defeat for the Bush administration, one of seven Miami men accused of plotting to join forces with al-Qaida to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower was acquitted Thursday, and the case against the rest ended in a hung jury.Hopefully the Prosecution will learn what did not work well in the first trial and will present a more effective case to the jury the second time. Cases like these must be prosecuted to their fullest extent and home grown jihadis must not be allowed to get away with planing terrorists acts against this Country.
Federal prosecutor Richard Gregorie said the government planned to retry the six next year, and the judge said a new jury would be picked starting Jan. 7.
The White House had seized on the case to illustrate the dangers of homegrown terrorism and trumpet the government's post-Sept. 11 success in infiltrating and smashing terrorism plots in their earliest stages.
Lyglenson Lemorin, 32, had been accused of being a "soldier" for alleged ringleader Narseal Batiste. He buried his face in his hands when his acquittal was read.
Lemorin, a legal U.S. resident originally from Haiti, was subject to an immigration hold and would not be immediately released, his lawyer said.
The jury gave up on the other defendants after nine days of deliberations on four terrorism-related conspiracy charges that carry a combined maximum of 70 years in prison. The jury twice sent notes to the judge indicating they could not reach verdicts but were told to keep trying.
U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard declared a mistrial after their third note, which she quoted as saying: "We believe no further progress can be made."
Prosecutors said the "Liberty City Seven" — so-named because they operated out of a warehouse in Miami's blighted Liberty City section — swore allegiance to al-Qaida and hoped to forge an alliance to carry out bombings against America's tallest skyscraper, the FBI's Miami office and other federal buildings.
The group never actually made contact with al-Qaida. Instead, a paid FBI informant known as Brother Mohammed posed as an al-Qaida emissary.
The defense portrayed the seven men as hapless figures who were either manipulated and entrapped by the FBI or went along with the plot to con "Mohammed" out of $50,000.
The group never actually made contact with al-Qaida and never acquired any weapons or explosives. Prosecutors said no attack was imminent, acknowledging that the alleged terror cell was "more aspirational than operational."
But then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said after the arrests in mid-2006 that the group was emblematic of the "smaller, more loosely defined cells who are not affiliated with al-Qaida, but who are inspired by a violent jihadist message."
And U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta of Miami said: "Our mission is to disrupt these cells if possible before they acquire the capability to implement their plans."
Map Reading and GPS
Instapundit notes that he might finally break down and purchase a GPS considering the sale going on at Amazon.com. He wonders whether having a GPS will affect his map reading skills.
I'm not sure. However, I know that I've found reading maps to be one of the more enjoyable things to do. Bear with me on this.
I am in charge of planning trips, but Mrs. Lawhawk chooses the general location of where to go. It's my job to plan the route, airfares, hotels, car rentals, and to try and hit national parks along the way.
You can't do that with a GPS in any easy fashion. However, with AAA, you can get the map for the area you're looking at - spread it on the table and pore over it so that you can figure out your destination.
It's how I've planned all my trips domestically. From my Grand Canyon grand tour that hit Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, North and South Rims, Lake Mead, and a whole bunch of points in between to the Los Angeles to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree NP to San Diego trip, using the map to pick out the route and to meander around (choosing to go less traveled routes where possible) was a great thing.
Having a GPS might make it less likely to make a wrong turn, but it can't help you plan your route as easily as a paper map with a highlighter can.
I'm not sure. However, I know that I've found reading maps to be one of the more enjoyable things to do. Bear with me on this.
I am in charge of planning trips, but Mrs. Lawhawk chooses the general location of where to go. It's my job to plan the route, airfares, hotels, car rentals, and to try and hit national parks along the way.
You can't do that with a GPS in any easy fashion. However, with AAA, you can get the map for the area you're looking at - spread it on the table and pore over it so that you can figure out your destination.
It's how I've planned all my trips domestically. From my Grand Canyon grand tour that hit Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, North and South Rims, Lake Mead, and a whole bunch of points in between to the Los Angeles to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree NP to San Diego trip, using the map to pick out the route and to meander around (choosing to go less traveled routes where possible) was a great thing.
Having a GPS might make it less likely to make a wrong turn, but it can't help you plan your route as easily as a paper map with a highlighter can.
Sharpton Under Investigation Again
Reports began surfacing even before the November 2004 election that Al Sharpton was not being honest with his campaign finance reporting. In February 2004, the New York Post reported that the Federal Election Commission has given him until March 11 to explain excessive campaign donations, the way in which he reported his debt, and why he didn't itemize large payments made to him personally.
Sharpton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, could face a substantial fine for violating federal finance rules. He was earlier fined $5,000.
One question concerning the FEC is two unexplained payments made by the campaign totaling roughly $22,000 to Sharpton himself late last year.
So, with that in mind, we now have reports that he's again under federal investigation, including by the FBI and IRS and they're asking questions of Sharpton and numerous other individuals connected with his 2004 campaign and National Action Network:
And, questions about this might also come up as well.
Sharpton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, could face a substantial fine for violating federal finance rules. He was earlier fined $5,000.
One question concerning the FEC is two unexplained payments made by the campaign totaling roughly $22,000 to Sharpton himself late last year.
So, with that in mind, we now have reports that he's again under federal investigation, including by the FBI and IRS and they're asking questions of Sharpton and numerous other individuals connected with his 2004 campaign and National Action Network:
Sharpton's former chief of staff said he was roused at his Harlem home about 6:30 a.m. by two FBI agents who handed him a subpoena to bring the records to a federal grand jury the day after Christmas.Sharpton's lawyer might like calling this a fishing expedition, but the fact remains is that Sharpton's got quite a bit of chum in his background, and the feds are circling.
Several employees of Sharpton's National Action Network also got wakeup subpoenas to testify before the Brooklyn panel, the rabble-rousing reverend's lawyer said.
The FBI and IRS are investigating whether Sharpton improperly misstated the amount of money he raised during his 2004 White House run to illegally obtain federal matching funds, a source familiar with the probe said.
Sharpton, although forced to return $100,000 in matching taxpayer funds after an investigation two years ago, denied any wrongdoing at the time.
The feds are also looking into allegations of tax fraud, including whether Sharpton commingled funds from his nonprofit National Action Network with several of his for-profit ventures, the source said.
Lawyer Michael Hardy shrugged off the probe, which sought a vast array of business, political and personal records, as a federal fishing expedition.
"I can't think of a time when the Rev. Sharpton wasn't under investigation," he said.
Sharpton was not among those subpoenaed in the synchronized sweep of friends and employees.
"It was like a sting or a raid," said Carl Redding, who spent eight years as the head of Sharpton's staff. "They converged on everybody."
As many as 10 people were subpoenaed, Redding said. The court papers also sought a wide range of financial records, from invoices of expenses paid by cash to cash receipts to bad debt records from the years 2001 to 2007.
Sharpton's quixotic run for the Democratic presidential nomination has raised questions of financial impropriety - including charges that he spent campaign funds on swanky hotels.
In April 2005, Sharpton denied allegations that he failed to report tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash to the Federal Election Committee.
Sharpton's associates were summoned to testify before the grand jury on the morning after Christmas. The subpoenas additionally called for them to provide the IRS with all financial records from the campaign and a half-dozen Sharpton-related businesses.
Personal finance records from Sharpton and his wife, Kathy, were also sought by investigators.
A Sharpton spokesman said the reverend, who pleaded guilty in 1993 to a misdemeanor for failure to file a tax return, would assist with the probe.
"What I would tell you is that what the National Action Network has done, and will continue to do, is cooperate and comply," said Charlie King, a spokesman for the network.
Redding, a restaurateur, said he was surprised by the subpoena, because he left his position as Sharpton's chief of staff in 1998.
And, questions about this might also come up as well.
Mitchell Report Names Names
*** SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM FOR LATEST AND MOST ACCURATE REPORTING ***
UPDATE 12/14/2007 (lawhawk):
See here for my latest post on the Mitchell Report and the bogus names list proffered by NBC. It's my decision to strike the initial names because those mentioned on the bogus report were not in the official report.
Rumor has it that the Mitchell Report will contain the following names:
Huge shocker, Brady Anderson!!! Hit 50 home runs from the lead off spot for the Orioles one year, and had not hit 50 home runs for his career to that point. Notice his power year was the year he played with Rafael Palmiero, also on the list. Coincidence? What about Eric Gagne, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. Any shocker that they are young and so injury prone? Steroids breaks down your body. Jeff Bagwell, huge decline in power numbers this year...did he stop using? Milton Bradley, any shock that his attitude is due to 'roid rage?
Also, as expected, Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmiero and Giambi (both brothers) all made the list.
Actual shockers to me are Miguel Tejada and Nomar Garciaparra. Their body types are not typical of steroid users. Just surprises me. Although, Palmiero said that he tested positive from B-12 vitamins laced with HGH that he got from Tejada.
However, the biggest names are Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite and Albert Pujols. Clemens is considered a first ballot hall of famer. Among the career leaders in strike outs, is one of the greatest power pitchers of our time. Supposedly, he and Pettite are work out buddies, and their work out regimen is one of the toughest. Well I guess that's easy when you are on the roids. Pujlos is also one of the greatest pure hitters in the game right now. His first five year stats rank him up their with Joe Dimagio ad Mickey Mantle. I have never seen a guy hit a ball as hard as he hits them. Game 1 of the 2006 National League Championship Series, Mrs. Lawhawk and I (yes, Mrs. Lawhawk is a HUGE Met fan and I took her over Mrs. Legalbgl) were sitting field level along the third base line and Pujlos hit a bomb into the stands a few rows behind us. That ball was hit so hard, that when it hit the concrete floor it sounded like a bomb. I guess that too, is easy to do when you use the juice.
So what now? What happens to these players? They have tainted the sport. They have stolen records. They should be banned. Their records should be nullified. Their corruption needs to be excommunicated from the game. The fans, the true fans, deserve no less.
--UPDATE--
From WNBC.Com, the soure of the above listed names:
Quess we will find out in a few minutes who is really on the list, and who is not.
--UPDATE--
The Mitchell Report is available for download here.
--UPDATE--
Quickly scanning the Mitchell Report I see no reference to Pujlos, Garciapara, Wood, Prior, or Damon. In fact, many of the names listed above do not appear in the Mitchell report, and many names in the Mitchell Report are not included above.
UPDATE (lawhawk):
I've quickly scanned the report and here are the names that stuck out. If I missed anyone, or included someone by accident, let me know in the comments:
--UPDATE--
Notable non-mentions in the Mitchell Report are Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. McGwire's use of androstenedione, a susbstance that was legal at the time of his use, is discussed in detail, but, nothing of his use of steroids or HGH. Interesting.
This could be because they received it from sources that Mitchell could not/did not interview (his report states, and he repeated in his news conference that players received substances from sources that he did not have the ability to interview.) Their non-incusion is not proof of inocence. Equally, I doubt that inclusion on the list is proof of quilt.
UPDATE (lawhawk):
Here's a link listing the players:
--UPDATE--
The list Lawhawk posted above is incorrect. I noticed it included McGwire, who was not named in the report, but which only discussed about use of androstenedione. The full list of players named in the report is found here.
Also, Bud Seliq, MLB's Commissioner, has now responded to the report.
So in otherwords, look for more slaps on the wrists.
UPDATE 12/14/2007 (lawhawk):
See here for my latest post on the Mitchell Report and the bogus names list proffered by NBC. It's my decision to strike the initial names because those mentioned on the bogus report were not in the official report.
Rumor has it that the Mitchell Report will contain the following names:
Brady Anderson, Manny Alexander, Rick Ankiel, Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Aaron Boone, Rafael Bettancourt, Bret Boone, Milton Bradley, David Bell, Dante Bichette, Albert Belle, Paul Byrd, Wil Cordero, Ken Caminiti, Mike Cameron, Ramon Castro, Jose Canseco, Ozzie Canseco, Roger Clemens, Paxton Crawford, Wilson Delgado, Lenny Dykstra, Johnny Damon, Carl Everett, Kyle Farnsworth, Ryan Franklin, Troy Glaus, Rich Garces, Jason Grimsley, Juan Gonzalez, Eric Gagne, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Jose Guillen, Jay Gibbons, Juan Gonzalez, Clay Hensley, Jerry Hairston Felix Heredia, Jr., Darren Holmes, Wally Joyner, Darryl Kile, Matt Lawton, Raul Mondesi, Mark McGwire, Guillermo Mota, Robert Machado, Damian Moss, Abraham Nunez, Trot Nixon, Jose Offerman, Andy Pettitte, Mark Prior, Neifi Perez, Rafael Palmiero, Albert Pujols, Brian Roberts, Juan Rincon, John Rocker, Pudge Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Scott Schoenweiis, David Segui, Alex Sanchez, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Tejada, Julian Tavarez, Fernando Tatis, Maurice Vaughn, Jason Varitek, Ismael Valdez, Matt Williams, Kerry Wood
Huge shocker, Brady Anderson!!! Hit 50 home runs from the lead off spot for the Orioles one year, and had not hit 50 home runs for his career to that point. Notice his power year was the year he played with Rafael Palmiero, also on the list. Coincidence? What about Eric Gagne, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. Any shocker that they are young and so injury prone? Steroids breaks down your body. Jeff Bagwell, huge decline in power numbers this year...did he stop using? Milton Bradley, any shock that his attitude is due to 'roid rage?
Also, as expected, Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmiero and Giambi (both brothers) all made the list.
Actual shockers to me are Miguel Tejada and Nomar Garciaparra. Their body types are not typical of steroid users. Just surprises me. Although, Palmiero said that he tested positive from B-12 vitamins laced with HGH that he got from Tejada.
However, the biggest names are Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite and Albert Pujols. Clemens is considered a first ballot hall of famer. Among the career leaders in strike outs, is one of the greatest power pitchers of our time. Supposedly, he and Pettite are work out buddies, and their work out regimen is one of the toughest. Well I guess that's easy when you are on the roids. Pujlos is also one of the greatest pure hitters in the game right now. His first five year stats rank him up their with Joe Dimagio ad Mickey Mantle. I have never seen a guy hit a ball as hard as he hits them. Game 1 of the 2006 National League Championship Series, Mrs. Lawhawk and I (yes, Mrs. Lawhawk is a HUGE Met fan and I took her over Mrs. Legalbgl) were sitting field level along the third base line and Pujlos hit a bomb into the stands a few rows behind us. That ball was hit so hard, that when it hit the concrete floor it sounded like a bomb. I guess that too, is easy to do when you use the juice.
So what now? What happens to these players? They have tainted the sport. They have stolen records. They should be banned. Their records should be nullified. Their corruption needs to be excommunicated from the game. The fans, the true fans, deserve no less.
--UPDATE--
From WNBC.Com, the soure of the above listed names:
NEW YORK -- WNBC.com's Jonathan Dienst has obtained names expected to be on George Mitchell's list of baseball players linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball officials are refuting some names on the list.
Two separate sources provided WNBC.com with a detailed list of names of ballplayers expected to be included in the Mitchell report, which will be released at 2 p.m. Thursday.
After WNBC.com posted this list, a spokesman for Major League Baseball told WNBC.com that there were several discrepancies between the list posted and Mitchell’s list.
Jonathan Dienst went back to the two sources with access to Mitchell's findings. Both sources maintain the list given to WNBC.com is complete and accurate.
WNBC.com made a second call to the MLB official refuting the list. He would not say which names on the list provided by two separate sources are incorrect. Yet another source suggests WNBC.com was given a draft copy by our two original sources, not the final copy being released today.
The list contains multple MVP and Cy Young award winners. The list is littered with names of All-Stars past and present and included two sets of brothers.
ESPN.com has been reporting New York Yankees pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte are on the list.
WNBC.com is no longer posting the list. We are actively working the list and we will be updating the situation as soon as journalistically possible.
Quess we will find out in a few minutes who is really on the list, and who is not.
--UPDATE--
The Mitchell Report is available for download here.
--UPDATE--
Quickly scanning the Mitchell Report I see no reference to Pujlos, Garciapara, Wood, Prior, or Damon. In fact, many of the names listed above do not appear in the Mitchell report, and many names in the Mitchell Report are not included above.
UPDATE (lawhawk):
I've quickly scanned the report and here are the names that stuck out. If I missed anyone, or included someone by accident, let me know in the comments:
David Justice, Andy Pettite, Roger Clemens, Greg Zaun, F.P. Santangelo, Glenallen Hill, Mo Vaughn, Denny Neagle, Ron Villone, Ryan Franklin, Chris Donnels, Todd Williams, Phil Hiatt, Todd Pratt, Kevin Young, Mike Lansing, Cody McKay, Kent Mercker, Adam Piatt, Miguel Tejada, Jason Christiansen, Mike Stanton, Stephen Randolph, Jerry Hairston, Jr., Paul Lo Duca, Adam Riggs, Bart Miadich, Fernando Vina, Kevin Brown, Eric Gagné, Mike Bell, Matt Herges, Gary Bennett, Jr., Jim Parque, Brendan Donnelly, Chad Allen, Jeff Williams, Howie Clark, "Nook" Logan, Daniel Naulty, Rick Ankiel, Paul Byrd, Jay Gibbons, Troy Glaus, Jose Guillen, Jerry Hairston, Jr., Gary Matthews, Jr., and Scott Schoeneweis, and former players David Bell, Jose Canseco, Jason Grimsley, Darren Holmes, John Rocker, Ismael Valdez, Matt Williams, and Steve Woodard.
--UPDATE--
Notable non-mentions in the Mitchell Report are Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. McGwire's use of androstenedione, a susbstance that was legal at the time of his use, is discussed in detail, but, nothing of his use of steroids or HGH. Interesting.
This could be because they received it from sources that Mitchell could not/did not interview (his report states, and he repeated in his news conference that players received substances from sources that he did not have the ability to interview.) Their non-incusion is not proof of inocence. Equally, I doubt that inclusion on the list is proof of quilt.
UPDATE (lawhawk):
Here's a link listing the players:
Chad Allen
Rick Ankiel
David Bell
Mike Bell
Marvin Benard
Gary Bennett, Jr.
Larry Bigbie
Barry Bonds
Kevin Brown
Paul Byrd
Jose Canseco
Mark Carreon
Jason Christiansen
Howie Clark
Roger Clemens
Jack Cust
Brendan Donnelly
Chris Donnels
Lenny Dykstra
Bobby Estalella
Matt Franco
Ryan Franklin
Eric Gagne
Jason Giambi
Jeremy Giambi
Jay Gibbons
Troy Glaus
Jason Grimsley
Jose Guillen
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Matt Herges
Phil Hiatt
Glenallen Hill
Darren Holmes
Todd Hundley
David Justice
Chuck Knoblauch
Tim Laker
Mike Lansing
Paul Lo Duca
Exavier "Nook" Logan
Josias Manzanillo
Gary Matthews, Jr.
Mark McGwire
Cody McKay
Kent Mercker
Bart Miadich
Hal Morris
Daniel Naulty
Denny Neagle
Rafael Palmeiro
Jim Parque
Andy Pettitte
Adam Piatt
Todd Pratt
Adam Riggs
Brian Roberts
John Rocker
F.P. Santangelo
Benito Santiago
Scott Schoeneweis
David Segui
Gary Sheffield
Miguel Tejada
Ismael Valdez
Mo Vaughn
Randy Velarde
Ron Villone
Fernando Vina
Rondell White
Jeff Williams
Matt Williams
Todd Williams
Steve Woodard
Kevin Young
Gregg Zaun
--UPDATE--
The list Lawhawk posted above is incorrect. I noticed it included McGwire, who was not named in the report, but which only discussed about use of androstenedione. The full list of players named in the report is found here.
Also, Bud Seliq, MLB's Commissioner, has now responded to the report.
NEW YORK -- Commissioner Bud Selig announced swift plans Thursday to execute every recommendation listed in former Sen. George Mitchell's report on performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball, but made no formal decisions regarding the punishment of active players listed on the report.
"So long as there may be potential cheaters, we will always have to monitor our programs and constantly update them to catch those who think they can get away with breaking Baseball's rules," Selig said. "In the name of integrity, that's exactly what I intend to do."
In his report, Sen. Mitchell outlined a long list of recommendations for the Commissioner to consider. Some of them can -- and according to Selig, will -- be implemented immediately. But others, most notably the recommendation for further improvement of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program, will require cooperation from the MLB Players Association.
***
"Sen. Mitchell acknowledges in his report that the ultimate decisions on discipline rest with the Commissioner and he is correct," Selig said. "Discipline of players and others identified in the report will be determined on a case-by-case basis. If warranted, those decisions will be made swiftly and I, of course, will give thorough consideration to Sen. Mitchell's views on the subject."
Much of the problem stems from the fact that most of the alleged violations in Mitchell's report occurred in a period ending two years ago. A large group of implicated players are no longer active, and are thus beyond Selig's jurisdiction. And many of those who are still playing were linked to the substances at a time when punishments for users were quite different.
So in otherwords, look for more slaps on the wrists.
Hollywood Awards Season Underway
A movie no one has seen has been given seven nominations by a group of film critics no one knows (the Golden Globes). The movie, Atonement, might be a great movie, but no one has seen it - having been in only 118 theaters and apparently was opened so that it could garner nominations. These are nominations by the industry, for the industry, and of the industry. Backslapping and self-congratulations all around.
No wonder people tune these awards shows out.
No wonder people tune these awards shows out.
Solar Energy Responsible For Northern Lights
It's long been known that the sun was responsible for a whole range of phenomena on the green and blue orb known as Earth. Well, scientists have found still more proof of that, as they were able to physically trace solar output to the Northern Lights (aurora borealis).
New data from NASA's Themis mission, a quintet of satellites launched this winter, found the energy comes from a stream of charged particles from the sun flowing like a current through twisted bundles of magnetic fields connecting Earth's upper atmosphere to the sun.Still think the sun has nothing to do with global climate or the possible global warming?
The energy is then abruptly released in the form of a shimmering display of lights, said principal investigator Vassilis Angelopoulos of the University of California at Los Angeles.
Results were presented Tuesday at the American Geophysical Union meeting.
In March, the satellites detected a burst of Northern Lights over Alaska and Canada. During the two-hour light show, the satellites measured particle flow and magnetic fields from space.
To scientists' surprise, the geomagnetic storm powering the auroras raced 400 miles in a minute across the sky. Angelopoulos estimated the storm's power was equal to the energy released by a magnitude 5.5 earthquake.
"Nature was very kind to us," Angelopoulos said.
Another Kassam Attack; Another Israeli Injured
It's a new day, but it's just like the last one. More kassam rockets hit Israel, including one that hit an apartment, injuring an Israeli woman and sending another 13-15 people for treatment for shock.
Who will be blamed when the latest talks fail? It certainly wont be the Palestinians, because the media constantly focuses on Israel's response to terrorist attacks and not the Palestinian terrorism that requires a response.
There is no other nation in the world that would permit such incessant attacks from its neighbor without taking overwhelming force and crushing those that launch the attacks. Yet, if and when Israel does launch such attacks (and it has done so on a limited basis in the past - both in Gaza and South Lebanon against Hizbullah), such Israeli actions are considered disproportionate responses to terrorist actions. By limiting Israel's response, the conditions remain unaltered and the terrorists know that they can ratchet up their attacks a notch knowing that they'll be able to get away with that much more until the next time. It's a no win situation for Israel unless and until it decides to crush the terrorist groups - including the Fatah and Hamas leadership - once and for all.
Israel cannot make peace with such groups, and to believe otherwise is to believe in psuedorealism, which is precisely what the diplomats continue to do.
UPDATE:
This all comes at a time when Fatah is demanding billions in foreign aid from Western governments, including the US.
Meanwhile, Palestinians complain about Israel considering a construction project in Har Homa as though that's on an equal footing with Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israel focusing on Sderot? Since when is the construction of housing on Israeli territory equal to that of terrorist attacks by the Palestinian terrorists with whom Israel is supposed to be negotiating with?
40-year-old woman was lightly to moderately wounded on Thursday after a Kassam rocket fired by Palestinians directly hit the home of the Aberjil family in Sderot.Let me repeat that last part. The terrorist attack was done by Palestinian terrorists affiliated with Fatah, who's leaders are currently trying to connive their way into making Israel give more concessions when they have failed to adhere to any of their obligations under Oslo.
The woman received medical treatment at the scene before being evacuated to a hospital. Magen David Adom officials were treating several people who were suffering from shock. Between 13 to 15 people had been evacuated to a nearby center for victims of trauma, Sderot Media Director Noam Badin told the Jerusalem Post.
Security forces were on their way to the scene.
The Jihad Martyrs Brigade, a group affiliated with Fatah, claimed responsibility for the latest attack.
Who will be blamed when the latest talks fail? It certainly wont be the Palestinians, because the media constantly focuses on Israel's response to terrorist attacks and not the Palestinian terrorism that requires a response.
There is no other nation in the world that would permit such incessant attacks from its neighbor without taking overwhelming force and crushing those that launch the attacks. Yet, if and when Israel does launch such attacks (and it has done so on a limited basis in the past - both in Gaza and South Lebanon against Hizbullah), such Israeli actions are considered disproportionate responses to terrorist actions. By limiting Israel's response, the conditions remain unaltered and the terrorists know that they can ratchet up their attacks a notch knowing that they'll be able to get away with that much more until the next time. It's a no win situation for Israel unless and until it decides to crush the terrorist groups - including the Fatah and Hamas leadership - once and for all.
Israel cannot make peace with such groups, and to believe otherwise is to believe in psuedorealism, which is precisely what the diplomats continue to do.
UPDATE:
This all comes at a time when Fatah is demanding billions in foreign aid from Western governments, including the US.
Meanwhile, Palestinians complain about Israel considering a construction project in Har Homa as though that's on an equal footing with Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israel focusing on Sderot? Since when is the construction of housing on Israeli territory equal to that of terrorist attacks by the Palestinian terrorists with whom Israel is supposed to be negotiating with?
Red Flagging Spending
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine (D-taxes) has once again pushed a policy that will increase state spending and either increase the state's debt load or require a tax and fee increase to cover the new costs.
This time, the $532 million is to go to school districts that think they've been screwed by the Abbott district formula. Only 32 districts get Abbott funding, so those on the cusp think that they're owed more money. Gov. Corzine agrees, so they're getting to split up the $532 million. And because more money is being spread around, the Governor is hoping that the plan will sail through because money greases the skids:
The amount of money that goes into education doesn't actually correlate with the performance of the state's students.
Let's take two neighboring districts.
Paterson gets a bunch of aid from the state and the amount spent per student is $14,995 per year. The district lags in the state tests for fourth grade (53% meet state standards in English /60% math) and eighth grade (48% / 35%). Paterson is an Abbott district, and all that money has actually gotten the district nowhere.
Fair Lawn, in contrast spends $13,304 per student and 87% meet state standards in 4th Grade English / 90% math, and the eighth grade has similar results 89% English / 84% math.
Now, I'm sure some will argue that these two districts could not be further apart in terms of demographics, and they might have a point. Paterson's demographic makeup is largely black/Hispanic, while Fair Lawn is 90% white.
So, with that in mind, let's turn to Garfield (another Abbott district), which is 46% black/Hispanic. They're not quite up to the Fair Lawn numbers, but considering that they're spending only $11,316 per student, that they're managing to have 77%/79% meet state standards in fourth grade and 60%/56% in eighth grade. Throwing more money at the problem isn't helping.
Let's look at a fourth city, this time Clifton (which will see one of the highest gains under Corzine's new plan). With 48% minorities, they're spending $10,315 per student and have 72%/80% for the fourth grade and 66%/53% in the eighth grade.
Again, it doesn't look like more money is the answer. There has to be more to the problem with student proficiency than simply money and throwing money at the problem isn't going to solve anything. It certainly hasn't done it in Paterson, and it's not doing it in Garfield either. If anything, years of throwing money at Abbott districts shows no results at all. Student proficiency on the statewide tests drops from the fourth to the eighth grade, which means the money spent on those students isn't actually helping. It may not be making it to the classroom or it may not have an effect on what happens in the classroom given that these students aren't getting the job done on the tests.
There is one factor not included in the NYT piece, and that's the percentage of students for whom English is not the first language. That might help explain why student performance lags and would be helpful in informing the debate on the issue.
Notwithstanding the language issue, the state can ill afford yet another spending binge on education when money isn't the problem. Abbott has been a failure and the Governor's answer to the problem is to throw still more money around to more districts to salve the political egos of those who weren't getting more state funds in prior years.
This time, the $532 million is to go to school districts that think they've been screwed by the Abbott district formula. Only 32 districts get Abbott funding, so those on the cusp think that they're owed more money. Gov. Corzine agrees, so they're getting to split up the $532 million. And because more money is being spread around, the Governor is hoping that the plan will sail through because money greases the skids:
"Some will find fault with some part of this, but we believe if you look at all of our children, we'll be a lot better off," Corzine said at the announcement, held at a Burlington Township elementary school.There's a huge problem with all this. Actually, there are quite a few problems.
Under the proposal:
More than 140 districts would receive 20 percent more in state aid next year, the maximum increase allowed under the plan. The big winners were in communities as wide-ranging as Bridgewater-Raritan, Rahway, North Brunswick and Rockaway, where enrollments or tax burdens -- or both -- ballooned in recent years as state-aid increases slowed to a trickle.
Another 200 districts would see increases of 10 percent or more, including some of the state's wealthiest communities.
No district would see less than a 2 percent increase in the coming year, a clear but expensive nod to the Legislature that in the coming weeks will review and, perhaps, vote on the plan.
Some of the increases will come with strings attached -- requirements the money go directly to property tax relief, state officials said -- although they provided little detail of how that would work.
That and other uncertainties left even some of the biggest apparent winners scratching their heads, cautiously welcoming the news but wondering if increases would evaporate as they put their budgets together.
And those getting smaller gains -- particularly in large urban districts -- criticized the state's new math, with some saying the plan could lead to deep cuts and will surely be contested in court, if not the Legislature.
The amount of money that goes into education doesn't actually correlate with the performance of the state's students.
Let's take two neighboring districts.
Paterson gets a bunch of aid from the state and the amount spent per student is $14,995 per year. The district lags in the state tests for fourth grade (53% meet state standards in English /60% math) and eighth grade (48% / 35%). Paterson is an Abbott district, and all that money has actually gotten the district nowhere.
Fair Lawn, in contrast spends $13,304 per student and 87% meet state standards in 4th Grade English / 90% math, and the eighth grade has similar results 89% English / 84% math.
Now, I'm sure some will argue that these two districts could not be further apart in terms of demographics, and they might have a point. Paterson's demographic makeup is largely black/Hispanic, while Fair Lawn is 90% white.
So, with that in mind, let's turn to Garfield (another Abbott district), which is 46% black/Hispanic. They're not quite up to the Fair Lawn numbers, but considering that they're spending only $11,316 per student, that they're managing to have 77%/79% meet state standards in fourth grade and 60%/56% in eighth grade. Throwing more money at the problem isn't helping.
Let's look at a fourth city, this time Clifton (which will see one of the highest gains under Corzine's new plan). With 48% minorities, they're spending $10,315 per student and have 72%/80% for the fourth grade and 66%/53% in the eighth grade.
Again, it doesn't look like more money is the answer. There has to be more to the problem with student proficiency than simply money and throwing money at the problem isn't going to solve anything. It certainly hasn't done it in Paterson, and it's not doing it in Garfield either. If anything, years of throwing money at Abbott districts shows no results at all. Student proficiency on the statewide tests drops from the fourth to the eighth grade, which means the money spent on those students isn't actually helping. It may not be making it to the classroom or it may not have an effect on what happens in the classroom given that these students aren't getting the job done on the tests.
There is one factor not included in the NYT piece, and that's the percentage of students for whom English is not the first language. That might help explain why student performance lags and would be helpful in informing the debate on the issue.
Notwithstanding the language issue, the state can ill afford yet another spending binge on education when money isn't the problem. Abbott has been a failure and the Governor's answer to the problem is to throw still more money around to more districts to salve the political egos of those who weren't getting more state funds in prior years.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
NJ State Senator Under Attack For Exposing Opponent's Islamist Ties
An Arab group threatened legal action against state Sen. Gerald Cardinale on Tuesday if he does not retract and apologize for comments he made about the organization during his reelection campaign.The truth is a defense here, and the ADC doesn't have the facts on its side. Pounding on the table is its only resort, and it doesn't look like that will work either.
In a certified letter, the national director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee described several of the senator's campaign statements and ads as "false, malicious and defamatory" and gave Cardinale, R-Demarest, 10 days to issue a public apology.
After that deadline, the letter states, the group would pursue a defamation lawsuit against Cardinale, a 25-year incumbent, who won reelection in November.
"We don't send these letters lightly," said National Director Kareem Shora, adding that "we hope to resolve this as quickly as possible," without legal action.
Cardinale, reached by phone Tuesday, said he would not apologize.
The senator said he had not received a copy of the letter. But he defended his campaign's assertions, namely that high-ranking members of the ADC -- specifically, one of its former national spokesmen -- had publicly expressed support for Hamas and Hezbollah.
"I have no malice towards this organization whatsoever, at all," Cardinale said. "They have taken some positions that are positions that many people would disagree with," he said, speaking of some of its officials. "I don't think there are many Americans who are pro-Hezbollah."
The senator invoked the ADC in the final week of his reelection campaign as part of a media blitz against his Democratic opponent, Joseph Ariyan.
Ariyan's law partner and campaign contributor, Hani Khoury, is a past president and current board member of the North Jersey chapter of the ADC.
Using that association, and the public utterances of a former ADC official, Cardinale concluded in one print ad that Ariyan was "too dangerous" to be elected to the state Senate.
There aren't many Americans who are supporters of Hizbullah, but there are plenty of Islamists who have no problem supporting the terrorist group Hizbullah, which is responsible for the murder of Americans, including those killed in the Marine Barracks suicide bombing in 1983.
Al Qaeda Take Credit For Algerian Bombings
Al-Qa'ida has claimed responsibility for a double car bomb strike in Algiers that killed dozens of people, including 11 UN workers, the deadliest attack on the world body since 2003.I don't think the date is nearly as important as the method of bombing utilized - simultaneous car bombings, which is a hallmark of al Qaeda. They look to engage in multiple synchronous attacks on targets, such as 9/11, Operation Bojinka, African embassy bombings, or any number of suicide bombings in Iraq.
The Algerian Government said 30 people were killed and 177 others injured by the twin bombings, which were claimed by the extremist network al-Qa'ida's Branch in the Islamic Maghreb.
But hospital sources in Algiers gave a toll of 62 dead and about 100 injured.
The destruction raised the spectre of a return to the civil war that ravaged the North African country in the 1990s.
Commentators said the targets appeared to confirm al-Qa'ida's plan to subsume Algeria's internal conflict into its war on the West. The date - December 11 - also pointed to Osama bin Laden's signature, they said.
The date caught the interest of international intelligence specialists. The 2001 attacks in the US were on September 11, the Madrid bombings on March 11, 2004.
Q Train Melee
Gothamist sums up the situation. The incident began on a Q train where Jewish revelers were attacked for saying Happy Hannukah in response to a group saying Merry Christmas. It quickly turned into an assault and cops ended up arresting 10 people.
It also turns out that a Muslim man came to the defense of the Jews who were being attacked by the thugs.
Jammie also covers the story.
It also turns out that a Muslim man came to the defense of the Jews who were being attacked by the thugs.
Walter Adler was touched that Hassan Askari jumped to his aid while a group of thugs allegedly pummeled and taunted him and his three friends. So Adler has invited his new friend over to celebrate the Festival of Lights.Joseph Jirovec, 19, one of those arrested for assault, claims that he wasnt' racist and that the hate crime angle is nuts. He offers up as a defense that some of his friends are Jewish and that his mother is Jewish. It should also be noted that he's the son of a city firefighter who is currently serving in Iraq and pleaded guilty to a 2005 bias crime against blacks.
The two new pals - Adler, 23, with a broken nose and a fat lip, and Askari, 20, with two black eyes - broke bread together and laughed off the bruises the night after the fisticuffs.
"A random Muslim guy jumped in and helped a Jewish guy on Hanukkah - that's a miracle," said Adler, an honors student at Hunter College.
"He's basically a hero. Hassan jumped in to help us."
But Askari, who is studying to be an accountant, shrugged off the praise.
"I just did what I had to do," he recalled. "My parents raised me that way."
Ten people were arrested in the underground attack on Friday night - including two men who have been arrested for race crimes before.
None of the suspects had been charged with a hate crime in the Q train attack as of last night, but the Brooklyn DA's Civil Rights Bureau is handling the case.
It all began when Adler, his girlfriend, Maria Parsheva, and two other pals boarded the subway at Canal Street bound for Brooklyn and someone in another group wished them "Merry Christmas."
Adler and his pal Angelica Krischanovich responded: "Happy Hanukkah."
Apparently, those were fighting words.
"They just came at us so fast. The first thing that came into my mind was, 'Yeah, this is going to be violent,' " said Parsheva, 20.
One of the group immediately hiked up his sleeve to reveal a tattoo of Christ.
"He said, 'Happy Hanukkah, that's when the Jews killed Jesus,' " said Adler.
The group of about 14 men and women then allegedly began taunting Adler and his pals as "dirty Jews" and "Jew bitches."
Jammie also covers the story.
MLB To Receive the Mitchell Report
NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Baseball has gotten its advance look at a draft of George Mitchell's report on drug use in the sport.Rumors have the Mitchell report being made publicly available tomorrow. It will be interesting to see who made the list. Many names have already surfaced. We have all long suspected Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds has been indicted for lying about his steroid use. Jose Conseco has admited it. Rafael Palmiero was suspended for HGH use. Jay Gibbons, Troy Glaus, Rick Ankiel, Mike Cammeron, Jose Guillen and a host of others have all been linked to either HGH or some other performance enhancing drug. David Ortiz has claimed to not know if he has or has not used steroids.
Baseball reviewed a draft Tuesday at the Manhattan office of DLA Piper, the law firm that Mitchell chairs, a baseball official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because Mitchell hasn't authorized any statements.
The report likely will be released Thursday, and commissioner Bud Selig does not plan to attend Mitchell's news conference, the official said. Selig could have his own news conference or hold a conference call, he added.
Baseball officials have said for several weeks that management would be able to examine the report on performance-enhancing drugs a few days before it is made public to make sure it does not contain any confidential information that if released would violate the collective bargaining agreement between players and owners.
The joint drug agreement, which has been part of the labor contract since September 2002, prohibits the commissioner's office, teams and consultants from disclosing player test results, treatment and other information except in very limited, specified circumstances.
The start of baseball's review first was reported by the Daily News on its Web site.
Mitchell, a former Senate Majority Leader, is a director of the Boston Red Sox and served on one of Selig's economic study committees. Selig hired him in March 2006 to investigate drug use in the sport.
He's expected by many in baseball to be critical of the sport for being slow to react to its drug problem in 1990s and beyond. What they will be looking to see in his report is how he parcels blame among commissioner Bud Selig, club owners, general managers, other team employees, the players' association and players themselves.
The revelation of players who have not yet been publicly linked to drug use figures to be the most sensational part of the report. Media reports have linked an array of All-Stars and MVPs to performance enhancers in recent years, among them Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Ken Caminiti, Juan Gonzalez and Mark McGwire.
Bonds, indicted last month for perjury and obstruction of justice over his 2003 testimony in the BALCO drug case, has denied knowingly using performance enhancers, as have Gonzalez and McGwire.
Representatives of players have said in recent weeks that they believe much of Mitchell's evidence will be based on former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, who was required to cooperate with the investigation as a condition of his federal plea agreement last April. Radomski pleaded guilty to illegally distributing steroids, human growth hormone, amphetamines and other drugs to players and is awaiting sentencing.
The player representatives also said they expect Mitchell will be critical of active players for largely refusing to cooperate.
Steroids and performance enhancing drugs are ruining the game. Great players, like Barry Bonds, is now a laughing stock. How can anyone take his home run record seriously, when it is so tainted by the stench of steroids. Designer Mark Ecco, who purchased Bond's record breaking ball at auction created a website for people to vote on what to do with the ball. No surprise, brand it with an asterisk and send it to Cooperstown was the overwhelming fan favorite.
MLB needs to see the Mitchell Report. They need to act on the Mitchell report. The players who have been proved cheaters need to be removed from the game. I don't care if they are superstars. They need to be banished from the game, a la Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson. MLB needs to get tougher and take a zero tolerance policy to performance enhancing drugs. Only then can the true fan really enjoy the sport again.
Verizon Bill Sucks, Take 2
They screwed up my billing. Again.
Illegally charged my credit card. Again.
And I'm stuck on phone hold. Again.
I'm now on with a supervisor who says that he's going to be able to merge my FIOS triple play with my local phone. We'll see if that actually happens (I'll have to wait another month to see if that actually works).
I have no idea how Verizon thinks that they can charge my credit card after I specifically told them not to charge my credit card. Anyone else see a problem with this?
I do.
The supervisor claims to have merged my billing. Right.
This is now 35 minutes into the call.
UPDATE:
Finally off the call. On top of the adjustments to the bill, which will include an additional $22 off the bill for a year, it looks like I'm going to get the LCD television that had been offered when you sign up for Triple Play Service. Turns out that Verizon has extended the television offer back to mid September so if you signed up after that point, you should ask to get the television.
I should have an email confirming all this later today. The proof is in the pudding as to whether all this will happen.
Illegally charged my credit card. Again.
And I'm stuck on phone hold. Again.
I'm now on with a supervisor who says that he's going to be able to merge my FIOS triple play with my local phone. We'll see if that actually happens (I'll have to wait another month to see if that actually works).
I have no idea how Verizon thinks that they can charge my credit card after I specifically told them not to charge my credit card. Anyone else see a problem with this?
I do.
The supervisor claims to have merged my billing. Right.
This is now 35 minutes into the call.
UPDATE:
Finally off the call. On top of the adjustments to the bill, which will include an additional $22 off the bill for a year, it looks like I'm going to get the LCD television that had been offered when you sign up for Triple Play Service. Turns out that Verizon has extended the television offer back to mid September so if you signed up after that point, you should ask to get the television.
I should have an email confirming all this later today. The proof is in the pudding as to whether all this will happen.
Diplomats Talk; Terrorists Act
While the diplomats and political leaders continue talking about peace and complaining about how Israel's military actions are a threat to the peace talks, the Palestinian terrorists continue doing what they do best. Attacking Israel at every opportunity.
18 kassam rockets were fired at Israel today in a two-hour span.
That's on the heels of Olmert's statements that the Israeli military action against the terrorists in Gaza had produced results, which makes me wonder why Israel withheld taking significant military action against Gaza's terrorists as they fired hundreds of kassams and mortars over the past year. If the military action did its job and eliminated the terrorists, why wasn't this done sooner.
On the other hand, the terrorists continue to attack Israel, which makes me question why Israel continues to pursue peace talks with terrorists that seek Israel's destruction.
Fatah is no better than Hamas as I've repeatedly argued, and Hamas and Fatah are playing the diplomats for fools. Hamas wants Fatah to cancel the scheduled peace talks because of the Israeli military raids on Palestinian terrorists in Gaza. Abbas and his Fatah thugs complain about Israel's actions to defend itself against terrorism, while ignoring the rockets that fall on Israel.
UPDATE:
Welcome to another chapter of Israeli double standard time (all rights reserved to Meryl Yourish). The diplomats talk while the terrorists continue firing on Israel. They find fault with Israeli defensive actions, while ignoring the terrorists' continuing war against Israel.
Carl in Jerusalem notes that the mayor of Sderot, which has been the focus of the kassam and mortar attacks, has resigned in protest over the failure of the Israeli government to protect the citizens of the Israeli city from the incessant rocket attacks. He also notes the rocket attacks this morning and that there were reports on Israeli radio claiming that the Israeli military didn't take further actions in Gaza because they feared that such moves would threaten the life of Gilad Shalit.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. 250,000 people are threatened by the terrorist attacks given what we know about the current range of the terrorists' mortars and rockets. Taking half measures only emboldens the terrorists and reduces the security of all Israelis.
UPDATE:
So, the talks are underway, and the Palestinians are already looking to blame Israel for not giving away the farm.
Those obligations get ignored or glossed over as the media and world opinion focuses on Israel's need to give away still more territory to terrorist groups that seek Israel's destruction.
18 kassam rockets were fired at Israel today in a two-hour span.
That's on the heels of Olmert's statements that the Israeli military action against the terrorists in Gaza had produced results, which makes me wonder why Israel withheld taking significant military action against Gaza's terrorists as they fired hundreds of kassams and mortars over the past year. If the military action did its job and eliminated the terrorists, why wasn't this done sooner.
On the other hand, the terrorists continue to attack Israel, which makes me question why Israel continues to pursue peace talks with terrorists that seek Israel's destruction.
Fatah is no better than Hamas as I've repeatedly argued, and Hamas and Fatah are playing the diplomats for fools. Hamas wants Fatah to cancel the scheduled peace talks because of the Israeli military raids on Palestinian terrorists in Gaza. Abbas and his Fatah thugs complain about Israel's actions to defend itself against terrorism, while ignoring the rockets that fall on Israel.
UPDATE:
Welcome to another chapter of Israeli double standard time (all rights reserved to Meryl Yourish). The diplomats talk while the terrorists continue firing on Israel. They find fault with Israeli defensive actions, while ignoring the terrorists' continuing war against Israel.
Carl in Jerusalem notes that the mayor of Sderot, which has been the focus of the kassam and mortar attacks, has resigned in protest over the failure of the Israeli government to protect the citizens of the Israeli city from the incessant rocket attacks. He also notes the rocket attacks this morning and that there were reports on Israeli radio claiming that the Israeli military didn't take further actions in Gaza because they feared that such moves would threaten the life of Gilad Shalit.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. 250,000 people are threatened by the terrorist attacks given what we know about the current range of the terrorists' mortars and rockets. Taking half measures only emboldens the terrorists and reduces the security of all Israelis.
UPDATE:
So, the talks are underway, and the Palestinians are already looking to blame Israel for not giving away the farm.
The Palestinians have said the planned construction in the Har Homa neighborhood, along with Israeli military activity in the Gaza Strip, have threatened to undermine the new peace talks.If you want to restore credibility, you have to stop the rocket attacks, rescind and amend the Palestinian Charter which calls for Israel's destruction, adhere to the obligations under Oslo including the disarmament of militias operating in Gaza and West Bank (meaning Fatah, Hamas, and all their offshoots and alphabet terrorist groups), and to eliminate calls for incitement to violence against Israel in the Palestinian media on a near daily basis.
The Palestinian delegation "introduced the issue of Har Homa and expressed our outrage," said negotiator Saeb Erekat.
"We are coming to negotiate over Jerusalem and borders, and the dictation and facts on the ground continue," he added. "If you want to restore the credibility of the peace process, the Israeli government must revoke this order." He said there were no immediate plans to meet again.
Those obligations get ignored or glossed over as the media and world opinion focuses on Israel's need to give away still more territory to terrorist groups that seek Israel's destruction.
Another Assassination in Lebanon
It's assassination season once again in Lebanon. This time, it was one of the top generals who played an important role in going after Fatah al Islam over the past year. Guess who many are looking at being behind this latest assassination.
Syria.
Going after the Lebanese military makes sense since they're the only countervailing force in the Lebanese polity that can potentially offset the Syrian and Hizbullah influence. If you undermine the military, you open the door to further meddling.
UPDATE:
From Beirut to Beltway has more, including this nugget:
Via Gateway Pundit:
Syria.
A car bomb attack killed one of Lebanon's top generals and at least two other people Wednesday, the military and state media said, putting even more pressure on the country's delicate political situation.Of course Syria denies any role in the killings. Why would they take credit for assassinations of political leaders of the country that they really consider to be nothing more than their personal playground? Let's just ignore all the ties between the assassinations and that the victims were staunch nationalists who opposed Syrian meddling in Lebanon.
The target of the attack, Brig. Gen. Francois Hajj, a top Maronite Catholic in the command, was considered a leading candidate to succeed the head of the military, Gen. Michel Suleiman, if Suleiman is elected president.
Hajj, 55, also led a major military campaign against Islamic militants over the summer.
The blast is the first such attack against the Lebanese army, which has remained neutral in Lebanon's yearlong political crisis and is widely seen as the only force that can hold the country together amid the bitter infighting between parliament's rival factions.
The political divisions have paralyzed the government and prevented the election of a president, leaving the post empty since Nov. 23 in a dangerous power vacuum. Under Lebanon's sectarian division of political posts, the president must be a Maronite, like the army commander.
The slaying of Hajj and its timing amid the deadlock over the presidency raised immediate speculation over who was behind the bombing, which blasted Hajj's SUV as he drove through a busy street of Baabda district.
Anti-Syrian politicians blamed Damascus, as they have for a string of bombings over the past two years that killed eight prominent opponents of Syria. Damascus has denied any role in those killings.
Going after the Lebanese military makes sense since they're the only countervailing force in the Lebanese polity that can potentially offset the Syrian and Hizbullah influence. If you undermine the military, you open the door to further meddling.
UPDATE:
From Beirut to Beltway has more, including this nugget:
The attack comes less than a day after the Syrian vice president boasted that "no one can win the battle against Syria in Lebanon", and exactly one year after March 14 MP Gebran Tueni's assassination.UPDATE:
Via Gateway Pundit:
Another anti-Syrian leader is assassinated in Lebanon.The bodies keep piling up in Lebanon and the Syrians continue to meddle in Lebanon, threatening to further destabilize the country.
Rafik Hariri -February 14, 2005
Samir Kassir -June 2, 2005
George Hawi -June 21, 2005
May Chidiac (attempted assassination) -September 25, 2005
Gebran Ghassan Tueni -December 12, 2005
Pierre Amin Gemayel -November 21, 2006
Walid Eido -June 13, 2007
Antoine Ghanem- September 19, 2007
Francois al-Hajj -December 12, 2007
No surprise... The Lebanese Inner Circle reported that given the intensity of the explosion and sophistication of the bomb, this assassination bears Syria’s fingerprints.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Not Quite A Fitting End
As I remarked when the verdict was delivered against MSG, James Dolan, and Isiah Thomas in the Anucha Brown Saunders sexual harassment case, this should have never gone to trial.
It was nothing but bad news for the Garden and all the defendants from the outset and yet they not only went to trial, but were intent upon appealing despite having no grounds to do so. All the mud that was exposed by the trial would be reheard again, and the Garden would be further sullied in the process.
Thomas maintained is innocence, but that rings hollow as the two sides settled the case for $11.5 million and Saunders will drop the appeal and demand for attorney fees. The jury had found against Thomas, Dolan, and the Garden for creating an atmosphere of sexual harassment.
The Garden management is a mess, and apparently the NBA told James Dolan, the owner of the Garden and the Knicks to settle this matter because it simply wouldn't end well for the Knicks.
The situation is far from over, however, as all the individuals involved in the sexual harassment are still working at the Garden, and Thomas continues to claim he's done nothing wrong.
A jury found otherwise.
None of this has anything to do with the wretched play of the team on the court, but Thomas has got to go. Period.
The team must be purged those involved in the sexual harassment claims. It's an embarrassment and Dolan appears immune to the criticism. Thomas has taken to attacking the fans for booing, despite the horrid play of the team on the court, and the organization's courtroom antics.
Stay classy MSG.
It was nothing but bad news for the Garden and all the defendants from the outset and yet they not only went to trial, but were intent upon appealing despite having no grounds to do so. All the mud that was exposed by the trial would be reheard again, and the Garden would be further sullied in the process.
Thomas maintained is innocence, but that rings hollow as the two sides settled the case for $11.5 million and Saunders will drop the appeal and demand for attorney fees. The jury had found against Thomas, Dolan, and the Garden for creating an atmosphere of sexual harassment.
The Garden management is a mess, and apparently the NBA told James Dolan, the owner of the Garden and the Knicks to settle this matter because it simply wouldn't end well for the Knicks.
The situation is far from over, however, as all the individuals involved in the sexual harassment are still working at the Garden, and Thomas continues to claim he's done nothing wrong.
A jury found otherwise.
None of this has anything to do with the wretched play of the team on the court, but Thomas has got to go. Period.
The team must be purged those involved in the sexual harassment claims. It's an embarrassment and Dolan appears immune to the criticism. Thomas has taken to attacking the fans for booing, despite the horrid play of the team on the court, and the organization's courtroom antics.
Stay classy MSG.
Iran Promises 50,000 Centrifuges In Five Years
Just remember that the NIE claims Iran has stopped its nuclear weapons program. Iran doesn't need the centrifuges to enrich uranium because it has deals with Russia that would enable them to buy the enriched uranium for their nuclear reactor to provide electricity.
The same process that enables uranium to be enriched for power production is the same one that enables uranium to be turned into bombmaking materials. The key difference is the length of time to which the key uranium isotope is enriched and purified.
Iran needs to install 50,000 centrifuges within five years so it can make enough fuel for one nuclear power plant, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday.Building 50,000 centrifuge cascades is significant for Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities. It would enable the Iranians to enrich uranium to weapons grade and produce significant quantities of weapons grade materials within short order.
Iran's uranium enrichment plans are the part of Tehran's nuclear program that most worries the West because the process can be used to make both fuel for nuclear power plants or, if desired, material for warheads.
Ahmadinejad told a news conference 50,000 centrifuges -- roughly the figure Iran has stated is its goal -- were enough to make fuel for one plant in a year.
"We have to install centrifuges with the same speed (as building nuclear power plants) so that in five years we would be able to produce fuel for one nuclear power plant," he said. He mentioned "four or five years" elsewhere in his remarks.
The same process that enables uranium to be enriched for power production is the same one that enables uranium to be turned into bombmaking materials. The key difference is the length of time to which the key uranium isotope is enriched and purified.
Colorado Heroes
One was an unarmed Vietnam veteran who exposed himself to fire from the Colorado shooter, while the other was an armed volunteer security guard who risked her own life to confront the violent shooter, who had already killed four other people in two separate incidents.
Together, they saved hundreds of people at the New Life Church.
Thank you.
Your fellow congregants thank you for putting your lives on the line to save hundreds of others from injury or death at the hands of Matthew Murray.
Had they waited for the police to arrive, the carnage would have been unimaginable as Murray had hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Instead, their quick thinking averted the loss of even more life.
UPDATE:
A report indicates that the shooter died of a self inflicted gunshot wound after being hit four times by Assam. This doesn't diminish the heroism of Bourbannais or Assam because without their confrontation with Murray, he would have continued his shooting rampage until he was either cornered and killed or he ran out of bullets.
Together, they saved hundreds of people at the New Life Church.
Bourbannais was behind a pillar at the time, deciding what to do next.Larry Bourbannais and Jeanne Assam are heroes.
“The only thing I could think to do was walk out from the pillar so the gunman would see me,” he said. “He was a man in black, but he sure wasn’t Johnny Cash.
“So I yelled, ‘Coward!’ stood out, and our eyes met and he lifted his rifle, fired, and I took a few fragments – very minor – in my left forearm.”
Bourbannais stepped behind the pillar again and repeated his demand that the security guard give him a gun so he could take the shooter out. When he got no response, Bourbannais stepped out from behind the pillar to confront Murray again.
At that point, another security guard, 42-year-old Jeanne Assam, arrived with her gun drawn. Unlike the male guard, she was using hers.
“They were engaged in a firefight. He was firing. She was firing,” Bourbannais said. “And she was completely exposed. I was in Vietnam for 14 months in combat, and it’s the bravest thing I’ve ever witnessed. She kept yelling, ‘Surrender,’ and returned fire the complete time.”
Bourbannais walked parallel to her toward Murray as Assam shot him.
“As he slumped down and his head tilted, I said to her, ‘That’s the calmest, bravest thing I‘ve ever seen. How did you do it?’ “ he said. “She said ‘I was praying and asking the Holy Spirit the entire time to guide me.’ ”
Vieira asked Bourbannais if he realized that he could have been killed.
“I figured my chances were 30 percent,” he said, as calm as if he were describing a trip to the corner store.
Thank you.
Your fellow congregants thank you for putting your lives on the line to save hundreds of others from injury or death at the hands of Matthew Murray.
Had they waited for the police to arrive, the carnage would have been unimaginable as Murray had hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Instead, their quick thinking averted the loss of even more life.
UPDATE:
A report indicates that the shooter died of a self inflicted gunshot wound after being hit four times by Assam. This doesn't diminish the heroism of Bourbannais or Assam because without their confrontation with Murray, he would have continued his shooting rampage until he was either cornered and killed or he ran out of bullets.
Capital Punishment Charade
Mr. Codey, who sponsored legislation in the early 1980s that reinstated New Jersey’s death penalty, said the system plays a cruel hoax on murder victims’ families by giving them the false hope of an execution.New Jersey is heading to repeal the death penalty, and would become the first state since the death penalty was resurrected nationwide in 1976.
“The best thing to do for us as a society to do is to be honest with them,” said Mr. Codey, who more recently served as governor. “Don’t tell someone that we’re going to execute somebody when the reality is it’s not going to happen — at least here in the state of New Jersey. Maybe in Texas. Maybe in other states. But it’s not going to happen here in New Jersey, and we’ve got to accept that.”
New Jersey has not executed a convicted felon since 1963, which is why this is such a farce. This move is out of symbolism and nothing more, which is the thrust of Codey's comments. Of course, honesty and the New Jersey legislature are words that have never quite gone together.
With all the other woes facing the state, this is what Trenton decides to spend time debating.
Israel Moves On Gaza; Hamas Talks Turkey
In a long overdue act of self defense, Israel has sent in tanks and bulldozers into the terrorist-infested Gaza Strip, focusing on Khan Younis and near the Rafeh crossing. The Israelis have killed at least five terrorists and detained more than 60 others.
Abbas calls the Israeli actions an impediment to negotiations. So does terrorist attacks against Israel, and yet that's gone unmentioned by both Israel and the media for years.
This comes as reports indicate that Hamas is now willing to hand back the Gaza Strip to Fatah. The Palestinian terrorists are in love with the rope-a-dope strategy, and there's good reason for it. The diplomats fall for it every time. The talks include the possibility of new elections.
Hamas knows that Israel can decimate its capabilities in Gaza in short order, so they're going to make motions that would enable Fatah to "resume control" in Gaza so that it thwarts Israel's defensive actions against Gaza. This would enable the Palestinians to continue their terrorist actions against Israel, while playing the diplomats for fools.
UPDATE:
Reports indicate that four Israeli soldiers were injured by a Palestinian fired anti-tank weapon. Nice to know that the Palestinians have adhered to the Oslo rules, which prohibit such weapons.
Abbas calls the Israeli actions an impediment to negotiations. So does terrorist attacks against Israel, and yet that's gone unmentioned by both Israel and the media for years.
This comes as reports indicate that Hamas is now willing to hand back the Gaza Strip to Fatah. The Palestinian terrorists are in love with the rope-a-dope strategy, and there's good reason for it. The diplomats fall for it every time. The talks include the possibility of new elections.
Hamas knows that Israel can decimate its capabilities in Gaza in short order, so they're going to make motions that would enable Fatah to "resume control" in Gaza so that it thwarts Israel's defensive actions against Gaza. This would enable the Palestinians to continue their terrorist actions against Israel, while playing the diplomats for fools.
UPDATE:
Reports indicate that four Israeli soldiers were injured by a Palestinian fired anti-tank weapon. Nice to know that the Palestinians have adhered to the Oslo rules, which prohibit such weapons.
Bombs Rock Algerian Capital; Dozens Dead and Injured
Two car bombs went off in the heart of Algiers, the Algerian capital, killing at least 45 people. At least 10 of those killed were working for the United Nations as one of the blasts occurred outside the UN refugee agency:
UPDATE:
The death toll is now 62 and climbing.
UPDATE:
Gateway Pundit has video and photos of the carnage.
Two car bomb attacks, one of which targeted offices of the U.N. refugee agency, killed at least 45 people, including 10 U.N. staff members, in the Algerian capital Tuesday, authorities said.From the sound of it, it may be an al Qaeda or al Qaeda inspired attack, since al Qaeda's favorite tactic is to use multiple bombs in mass casualty attacks and Islamists are busy trying to wage jihad against the West from Algeria.
The civil protection agency said one attack killed 30 people and that a second blast left another 15 people dead.
Jean Fabre of the U.N. Development Program said it was still unknown who died or which U.N. agencies they represented. Fabre said he received the information from Marc Destanne De Bernis, the agency's top official in the Algerian capital.
UPDATE:
The death toll is now 62 and climbing.
UPDATE:
Gateway Pundit has video and photos of the carnage.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Taxing the Rock
The new arena in Newark, the Prudential Center (aka The Rock), has provoked the interest of the New Jersey legislature. Tax and spenders as they are, they see an opportunity to tax and spend just a bit more.
How exactly is the tax going to make the arena competitive versus other arenas in the region? No tax is imposed on the ticket prices at the IZod Center, the former home of the Devils in the Meadowlands.
The Legislature simply cannot help itself when it comes to taxing and spending. No one in Trenton can hold the line on spending, so tax hikes are the only logical and convenient outcome for that mindset.
The measure, designed to raise funds from sports fans and concertgoers to offset traffic control and security costs, won approval today from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The endorsement comes less than two weeks after the bill authorizing the surcharge, (S-2971), was introduced on Nov. 29.The first measure would effectively increase ticket prices by 5% and would affect all events at the new arena.
Separately, committee members deferred consideration of a companion measure (S-2891) that would let Newark, Elizabeth and Jersey City impose a 7 percent surcharge on parking fees for arena events to pay for municipal services associated with the arena.
Both measures were introduced after the November elections, and will die unless they are approved by both the Senate and Assembly before the current session ends Jan. 8.
How exactly is the tax going to make the arena competitive versus other arenas in the region? No tax is imposed on the ticket prices at the IZod Center, the former home of the Devils in the Meadowlands.
The Legislature simply cannot help itself when it comes to taxing and spending. No one in Trenton can hold the line on spending, so tax hikes are the only logical and convenient outcome for that mindset.
Musa Qala Retaken
So much for those 2,000 Taliban that the thugs claimed were there to defend the town against NATO and Afghan forces. As I suspected, it was much sound and fury, but no match for NATO firepower backing up Afghan forces that retook the area from Taliban thugs who took advantage of a bad deal by NATO earlier this year.
Taliban thugs continue harassing fire against the NATO and Afghan forces, but they're not going to drive off the Afghan and NATO troops.
The Taliban are playing the media for all they're worth. They can't win on the ground, so they're trying to score points in the media. And they've got willing accomplices who have no problem publishing Taliban agitprop.
Roggio also makes the following observation:
Taliban thugs continue harassing fire against the NATO and Afghan forces, but they're not going to drive off the Afghan and NATO troops.
A resident of Musa Qala, Haji Mohammad Rauf, said he saw Taliban fighters leave the town in trucks and motorbikes around noon. Two hours later, hundreds of Afghan soldiers streamed into town and established security checkpoints, he said.Bill Roggio also notes that the Taliban bugged out instead of standing their ground and fighting against the NATO and Afghan forces. What's funny is the Taliban claiming that they would cede the ground for fear of civilian casualties.
"I was standing on my roof and saw hundreds of Afghan soldiers drive into town," Rauf said. "All the shops are closed and families are staying inside their homes."
A British military spokesman, Lt. Col. Richard Eaton, said he couldn't confirm that the Taliban had left the town's center but said he wouldn't be surprised.
"This is what happens. We have had a number of operations in the past where once the Taliban realize they are overmatched they tend to leave," Eaton said. "I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case here. Ultimately our aim is to take Musa Qala and if we take Musa Qala without a big fight, that's fantastic."
Taliban militants overran Musa Qala in February, four months after British troops left the town following a contentious peace agreement that gave security responsibilities to Afghan elders.
U.S.-led coalition troops carried out airstrikes Sunday against compounds used by Taliban weapons smugglers in Musa Qala, the coalition said Monday. Several militants were killed and two civilians were wounded, it said.
Following the airstrike, the joint Afghan and coalition forces came under attack as they searched compounds in the area. "Using a combination of accurate, conventional munitions and small arms, the combined force returned fire, killing the militants," it said. Ten suspects were detained.
The Taliban are playing the media for all they're worth. They can't win on the ground, so they're trying to score points in the media. And they've got willing accomplices who have no problem publishing Taliban agitprop.
Roggio also makes the following observation:
Fighting has been reported to be ongoing at the outskirts of town as the Taliban is fleeing northward. At least two local Taliban leaders were captured during the assault, a senior weapons facilitator was killed in an airstrike. It is unclear if NATO airpower is striking the Taliban columns as they withdraw, or if the Afghan cut a deal to allow the Taliban to flee in exchange for taking the city without a fight.Intersting
Spitzer's Ratings Continue Dropping; Fare Hike Wont Help
This shouldn't be surprising to anyone paying attention to New York Governor Eliot "Whiplash" Spitzer over the past few months as the Democrat continues to sputter and watch his ratings plummet. A new Siena College poll finds 51% view Spitzer unfavorably and 70% are not satisifed with his job performance.
It wasn't long ago that Whiplash Spitzer said that he opposed an increase in the MTA base fare, but the MTA is now expected to increase fares on everything else. How many people actually pay the base fare? Few. So, all those who cheered that move will be wondering where all the good times went as the MTA looks to hit up the Metrocard monthly users and everyone who uses discounted Metrocards.
Using mass transit means that you're doing your part to reduce congestion in New York City and yet, fare hikes may lead people to either seek jobs elsewhere, or some people will seek to drive to their jobs rather than pay more for lousy service.
UPDATE:
This article provides a better breakdown of fare and toll hikes, providing specific dollar increases as opposed to strictly providing percentage increases.
The telephone poll was conducted Dec. 3-6 with 625 registered New York State voters. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.Spitzer was elected in a landslide, so the massive drops within just the past year are quite telling.
The poll found that 36 percent of voters viewed the governor favorably, and 51 percent unfavorably, compared with respective margins of 41 percent to 46 percent in November and 64 percent to 22 percent in June. Most New York City voters still view the governor favorably, while upstate voters overwhelmingly do not, the poll found.
Siena reported that 27 percent of voters gave Mr. Spitzer’s job performance a positive rating and 70 percent a negative rating (down from 33 percent to 64 percent in November and 55 percent to 37 percent in June).
It wasn't long ago that Whiplash Spitzer said that he opposed an increase in the MTA base fare, but the MTA is now expected to increase fares on everything else. How many people actually pay the base fare? Few. So, all those who cheered that move will be wondering where all the good times went as the MTA looks to hit up the Metrocard monthly users and everyone who uses discounted Metrocards.
Those who buy regular pay-per-ride MetroCards would also see a price increase; the bonus on pay-per-ride MetroCards would fall to 15 percent, from 20 percent, but the amount of money needed to qualify for the bonus will also drop, to $7, from $10. The base subway and bus fare would remain at $2, as Gov. Eliot Spitzer had promised.Spitzer all but engaged in a bait and switch with commuters - precisely because he knew so few people paid the full fare. By stating that the MTA would go after the base fare, he targeted the far more lucrative commuters. Most people use a discounted or monthly pass, so this will affect far more people than had Spitzer sought to increase the base fare while maintaining the discounts. It's yet another measure to discourage mass transit usage.
Using mass transit means that you're doing your part to reduce congestion in New York City and yet, fare hikes may lead people to either seek jobs elsewhere, or some people will seek to drive to their jobs rather than pay more for lousy service.
UPDATE:
This article provides a better breakdown of fare and toll hikes, providing specific dollar increases as opposed to strictly providing percentage increases.
Michael Vick Gets 23 Months
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for his role in a dogfighting conspiracy that involved gambling and killing pit bulls.
The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback could have been sentenced up to five years by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Vick, who turned himself in Nov. 19 in anticipation of his sentence, was wearing a black-and-white striped prison suit.
After Vick apologized to the court and his family, Hudson told him: "You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you."
"Yes, sir," Vick answered.
Vick acknowledged he used "poor judgment" and added, "I'm willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for my actions."
Federal rules governing time off for good behavior could reduce Vick's prison stay by about three months, resulting in a summer 2009 release.
***
In a plea agreement, he admitted bankrolling the dogfighting ring on his 15-acre property in rural southeastern Virginia and helping kill pit bulls that did not perform well in test fights. He also admitted providing money for bets on the fights but said he never shared in any winnings.
Vick's 23 month sentence is far short of the maximum sentence he could have received of 5 years. However, it is more than the 12-18 months that the Federal Guidlines recomends. Vick also faces State charges in Virginia for promoting dog fighting and for killing and torturing animals.
I have to say how disgusted I am over Michael Vick's behavior and activities. His only remorse is that he got caught, not for what he did. He is remorseful that he ruined his career, not for the dogs he mutilated and killed.
In my opinion, we should all give at least $23 ($1 for every moonth of Vick's sentence) to the ASPCA today. Ms. Legalbgl and I give every year to the ASPCA and I always donate to the animal rescues when I see them in front of Petsmart.
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