Saturday, January 31

About That Obama Administration Job Application Questionnaire...

Remember that 63-part questionnaire people who wanted to work for the Obama Administration needed to fill out. You know, the one that wanted to know every single detail, including whether applicants have ever touched a gun:
The questionnaire leaves no stone unturned in its 63-part effort to excavate any personal or professional transgressions in a candidate's past. Sample indiscretions run the gamut from criminal convictions and tax fraud to text messages or personal diary entries that could be a "possible source of embarrassment" to the President-elect if made public. - Time
Well, looking at the tax trouble that multiple Obama nominees such as Geithner and Daschle have run into, I guess that application was meant mainly to use to exclude people from consideration that the Obama team didn't like. Because if these guys decided that these indiscretions were not bad enough to exclude employment for them, what was on the applications that were rejected?

Then again, perhaps Obama has been hunting out these damaged politicians. No serious Administration would surely consider Daschle once they discovered that he was a tax cheat to the tune of over $100,000, not to mention leave Geithner no chance of becoming Treasury Secretary with thousands in unpaid Social Security and Medicare taxes that he knew he needed to pay. Maybe these are people, who given this second chance, end up forming a very dedicated, and loyal team for Obama. Doing their best to implement his goals, not theirs. This wouldn't be the first time a leader assembled a group of criminals to put plans into action. Hitler did. So did Stalin.


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Thursday, January 29

Another Concealed Handgun Used in Defense in DC

It is illegal for most people to carry a concealed handgun in Washington, DC. It is not however illegal for everyone. Off duty and retired police can carry a concealed weapon. Back in December I covered the story of a criminal in DC who had the back look of trying to rob an armed retired DC policeman:
Shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday, a retired police officer was walking his dog in the 5900 block of 13th Street in Northwest when two men approached him with a gun and tried to rob him, police said.

The officer pulled out his gun and the robbers shot at him. The officer then returned fire, police said. - NBC4, washington, DC
Now comes news of an off-duty DC Detective who shot his concealed handgun in defense during a daytime attack:
Off-duty D.C. detective shoots man during struggle: An off-duty D.C. detective shot and wounded a man during a struggle in the 1600 block of Kalorama Road NW, according to police.

Just before noon Tuesday, the detective got out of his vehicle when he was attacked and nearly beaten unconscious by a man whom police described as deranged. The detective drew his weapon and fired, striking the suspect once in the abdomen.

The detective, whose name is being withheld, is a 20-year veteran assigned to the drug squad. He was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and has been placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

The identity of the suspect, who appears to be emotionally disturbed, has not yet been determined. He was transported to an area hospital in police custody on a charge of aggravated assault and admitted in stable condition. - DC Examiner
So it is possible to carry a concealed weapon in DC, for a selected few. Of interest though is how they keep finding a need to fire their weapon in self defense. Too bad the rest of the residents of Washington, DC are denied their right to do so as well, seeing how dangerous the city is, even for people who have concealed weapons!

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Wednesday, January 28

Pelosi - Reid - Obama - Recession Extension Bill

Kudos to the House Republicans who all voted against the 'Stimulus' Bill that will do little to create any jobs other than inside Government itself.

Sure, people will be hired to do things like re-sod (or re-seed) the Mall in the Capital, but what the hell are they going to do after that? (And when are they going to do this anyway since it is currently winter...)

$800+ billion dollars. For what? This is money that is going to be spent by the Government. Say they spend some money to buy more cars to help the big three automakers. Sure they save some jobs now, but part of the problem those companies have at the moment is that they have too many employees to begin with. The automaker union kept employment artificially high. So instead of a steady and manageable layoff of workers over years, we are going to get them dumped into the unemployment system all at once. And with Government 'stimulus' instead of dumping them on the unemployment rolls now, we get to suffer through this in a year or two, or three, after spending this money. So instead of stimulating new jobs, the Democrats are pushing to stretch out this recession to keep people busy for a little while longer. That way I s this massive spending scam as not much more than a money grab that will extend the recession not shorten it.

Worse, some of this money is going to people who currently pay no taxes. President Obama's excuse is that these people do pay taxes, they pay Social Security and Medicare taxes. Well, I think that is great that they do, and I bet they get back more than they pay in. (And if they don't just yet SCHIP will make sure that they do.) Everyone needs to contribute to our society. And people who earn so little that the only taxes they pay are going to be handed back to them, just how are we ever going to get them to pay taxes again? The next step will be protests that the handouts from Government for them are not good enough. (Just like the unemployed that strike in France.)

Then there are things in this sham stimulus bill like money for contraceptives which may or may not end up in the final version of the bill. (I am not sure if it survived this vote and if not it might always be 'airdropped' in later) How bad is the contraceptive idea? Well, my wife is from Finland and they have 'free' public health care. And you still have to pay for contraceptives there as it is not covered by health care. So there you have it, Nancy Pelosi is trying to make America more socialist than Socialist countries in Europe. (If we are going to do this, then I think the Government should only pay for birth control if they are paying to sterilize people.) Anyway, what the hell is wrong with condoms? some of the major cities are giving those away for free already. And if you can't afford or be bothered to use some sort of protection, then perhaps your not responsible enough to have sex.

How serious is President Obama about creating jobs? Not so much looking at how his new Interior Secretary was unable to flatly state whether the White House will let offshore drilling go forward or not:
WASHINGTON -- Interior Secretary Ken Salazar indicated Tuesday that the Obama administration could be open to expanded offshore drilling and is considering doing away with a controversial program that allows oil companies to pay in kind for oil and natural gas taken from public lands.
More

Environmental groups want the Obama administration to re-impose a ban on expanded offshore drilling that President George W. Bush lifted last year. The Bush administration plan would open tracts off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts where drilling had been prohibited.

Asked in an interview with The Wall Street Journal whether President Barack Obama might try to reinstate the ban, Mr. Salazar paused 18 seconds before saying: "I don't know." - Wall Street Journal
Letting the Bush expansion of offshore oil drilling will do more to create jobs than Democrats with $825 Billion of your money to spend. As a bonus, offshore oil drilling will cost the Government nothing. In fact, it will create lots of revenue for the Government in the forms of royalties for the oil and taxes paid. Plus it is a great way to get people off unemployment rolls.

Not drilling will not create any jobs. And at the moment it looks like there won't be. Obama will let Congress revisit this issue and kill it off for him:
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar indicated on Tuesday that he intends to scrap the Bush administration's leasing plan that would have opened the coasts to drilling, even as he said the Obama administration is open to some expanded development of offshore oil and gas fields.

The Bush administration's DOI issued a draft of a five-year leasing plan several days before leaving office, following on the expiration of the outer continental shelf moratorium last fall. But Salazar told the Associated Press that his department plans to work with Congress to craft "a plan that makes sense" for offshore oil and gas development in the context of a broader energy policy. - Grist.org
So, as long as Congress does not agree to a new plan, no new drilling. Worse, with the current low price of oil, offshore oil jobs might actually decrease as it becomes unprofitable for oil companies to drill for oil deep offshore. Expanding the areas available for drilling will open up areas where the oil is easier and cheaper to extract. And remember that every time that oil prices rise, Democrats dismiss the idea of drilling because it will take years for the oil to enter the marketplace. This means that you need to drill for it when it is cheap, like now. So there is a second reason to create these jobs. Good luck getting that out of this White House or Congress.

Maybe the country just needs to go through this period of national stupidity to once again prove that the country can't support everyone and that the best way to support yourself is to get a job. And despite all the doom and gloom that Democrats are spouting, there are still jobs out there. Look at the Washington DC District Government. They still have lots of unfilled job openings. How about stimulating the Government to make use of those already created jobs to help stimulate the economy. That costs nothing since they expect to pay for these salaries already.

Really, what are the various Governments in the US planning to do with all these unfilled jobs? Why are they hiding them? (Snapshot of just a couple of many jobs posted on the DC Jobs Applicant website)


Just say no to 'Stimulus'!

Its spoiled!

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French Frigate FLOREAL Captures Nine More Pirates

News coming out of Somialia has the French Navy taking nine more Pirates Hostage. The story is at EagleSpeak. Here are some photos of the capture from the French Navy:

View from Floréal

The skiffs seen the Panther helicopter

The skiffs are stopped by the Panther

The Panther overflies the skiffs

Le Floréal

Gun at the ready - Interception of pirates by the EPR

Interception of pirates by the EPR

Team approach in access control of the Panther

Here is a (seemingly very) rough English translation of the French Navy's Press Release:
On 27 January afternoon Floréal patrol near the shipping corridor recommended for commercial vessels in the middle of the Gulf of Aden. He received the staff of the mission Atalante warning indicating that the African Ruby, a building trade under the Maltese flag, was threatened by two pirate skiffs.

The threat to the building but stopped Maltese, who arrived on the area of the attack, the French helicopter landmark two skiffs in which armed men has scales that make assault ships of commerce.

Both skiffs were stopped by the helicopter performs a warning shot.

Since 1 January Floréal, stationed in Saint Denis de la Reunion, integrated device naval operation of the European Union fight against piracy "Atalante".

This is the seventh intervention of French troops against pirates since 7 April 2008 and the release of the hostages Ponant. They have allowed hackers to intercept 57. - Link (See the original French version here: Golfe d’Aden : le Floréal intercepte 9 pirates)
Kudos again go to the French.

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Tuesday, January 27

Here's Your Crime Problem: Attempted Murder in DC = PROBATION

** EXCLUSIVE **

Back in February 2008 I blogged about the following story that I read in the Police Blotter section of the DC Examiner: (See: Attempted Murder Headline = "Armed woman arrested after entering police HQ")
Armed woman arrested after entering police HQ

A woman was arrested after she walked into the Metropolitan Police headquarters Thursday afternoon, pointed a gun at one of the armed security guards, demanded his weapon, then pulled the trigger on her handgun, according to court documents.

When the gun failed to fire, the security guard grabbed the woman, Cynthia Marlene Nixon, and wrestled her to the ground. Police found 36 rounds of ammunition and two plastic bags of marijuana. Nixon told detectives that she wanted to rob a police officer of his weapon, court documents state. - Scott McCabe, DC Examiner
Look at what she was charged with for the crime described above:
Charge Filed Charge #1: Assault On A Police Officer

Charge Filed Charge #2: Carry Pistol W/O Lic -Outside Home/Business
Assault? Does this sound like assault? She pulled the trigger on her gun as she had it pointed at the guard. That's attempted murder. Why was she charged with assault and not 'assault with a deadly weapon'? I can see pushing a policeman as assault. I can see hitting or punching a policeman as assault. I can't see how pulling a gun rates the charge of only assault. If it is because she fought the policeman who came to the aid of the guard, where is the charge for sticking a gun in the guard's face? As for the carry charge, she earned that just for having the gun on her possession in Washington, DC. Where is the charge for her using it in an attempted robbery? An 'Armed Robbery'!

On top of that, she had drugs on her but no drug charge. As stated above, she wanted to rob the security guard of his gun. That's attempted robbery. Where is the robbery charge?

So, given the crime and what she was charged with, what kind of prison sentence do you think she got? How about none. (36 Months and 12 months, all suspended.)
Sentence for Charge # 1, Assault On A Police Officer Sentence Date: 07/31/2008 Confinement Type: Confinement Time: 0 years, 36 months, 0 days. Time Susp: 0 years, 36 months, 0 days. Amount To Serve: 0 years, 0 months, 0 days. Supervised Release: 3 years, 0 months, 0 days, Suspended. VVCA Amount: 100.00, Due: 04/10/2009 Probation Type: SUPVP, Start Date: , End Date: Probation Time: 2 years, 0 months, 0 days Probation Conditions: Drug Treatment Program Probation Conditions: Don't possess firearm or dangerous weapon Probation Conditions: Mental Health Screening/Evaluation probation to be supervised by the mental health unit

Sentence for Charge # 2, Carry Pistol W/O Lic -Outside Home/Business Sentence Date: 07/31/2008 Confinement Type: Confinement Time: 0 years, 12 months, 0 days. Time Susp: 0 years, 12 months, 0 days. Amount To Serve: 0 years, 0 months, 0 days. Supervised Release: 3 years, 0 months, 0 days, Suspended. VVCA Amount: 100.00, Due: 04/10/2009 Probation Type: SUPVP, Start Date: , End Date: Probation Time: 2 years, 0 months, 0 days Probation Conditions: Drug Treatment Program Probation Conditions: Mental Health Screening/Evaluation Probation Conditions: Don't possess firearm or dangerous weapon defendant to be supervised by the mental health unit
I really laughed at the following probation condition:
Don't possess firearm or dangerous weapon
Or what? It was illegal for her to possess the handgun in DC when she committed the crime. This is just a joke. A 'don't do that again' reprimand. And since they were not willing to jail her for trying to kill someone, why would she think that they would jail her for anything. Worse, what kind of message does this send to criminals in DC? (Looking at the continually high crime rate in DC, seems that they have gotten the message.)

This here is the perfect example of how Liberals/Democrats are liars when they say that they want to fight gun crime. They don't. Fighting gun crime would force them to turn on part of their voter base.

WHO ARE THE REAL GUN CRIME CRIMINALS? They are prosecutors like the one in this case who, in my opinion, failed to properly charge the suspect with the serious crimes that she committed. Even worse, whoever the prosecutor is, they now have two more convictions under their belt as evidence of what a great lawyer they are.....

So despite all the talk of 'responsible' gun regulation to fight gun crime, Democrats still have no interest in actually jailing gun criminals. I am sure that this is not the only case in DC where a gun criminal has gone free. And DC is not the only place where this has happened. Snowflakes in Hell has been covering how Philly criminals have long histories of gun charges that are simply dropped, over and over again. (See "A Tale of Three Criminal Records" and "Latest Rapsheet" for some examples)

If she does not deserve to go to jail for a gun crime, then who does?

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Below is the full history of this case from the DC Court System, just in case it ever becomes unavailable:

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Docket Entries
Date Text
08/27/2008 Quality Review
08/25/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: The following event: Review Hearing scheduled for 08/27/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Hearing Vacated. Defendant is successfully in a CSOSA-recommended inpatient program. ek Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213
08/05/2008 Quality Review
07/31/2008 Crime Victims Compensation Fund Receipt: 76803 Date: 10/20/2008
07/31/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: The following event: Sentencing scheduled for 07/31/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Held Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
07/31/2008 VVCA Form Filed
07/31/2008 Judgment and Commitment Order
07/31/2008 Sentence for Charge # 2, Carry Pistol W/O Lic -Outside Home/Business Sentence Date: 07/31/2008 Confinement Type: Confinement Time: 0 years, 12 months, 0 days. Time Susp: 0 years, 12 months, 0 days. Amount To Serve: 0 years, 0 months, 0 days. Supervised Release: 3 years, 0 months, 0 days, Suspended. VVCA Amount: 100.00, Due: 04/10/2009 Probation Type: SUPVP, Start Date: , End Date: Probation Time: 2 years, 0 months, 0 days Probation Conditions: Drug Treatment Program Probation Conditions: Mental Health Screening/Evaluation Probation Conditions: Don't possess firearm or dangerous weapon defendant to be supervised by the mental health unit
07/31/2008 Sentence for Charge # 1, Assault On A Police Officer Sentence Date: 07/31/2008 Confinement Type: Confinement Time: 0 years, 36 months, 0 days. Time Susp: 0 years, 36 months, 0 days. Amount To Serve: 0 years, 0 months, 0 days. Supervised Release: 3 years, 0 months, 0 days, Suspended. VVCA Amount: 100.00, Due: 04/10/2009 Probation Type: SUPVP, Start Date: , End Date: Probation Time: 2 years, 0 months, 0 days Probation Conditions: Drug Treatment Program Probation Conditions: Don't possess firearm or dangerous weapon Probation Conditions: Mental Health Screening/Evaluation probation to be supervised by the mental health unit
07/31/2008 Release Order Filed Release Order - Jail Sent on: 07/31/2008 11:29:31
07/31/2008 Notice to Return to Court Filed Notice to Return to Court Sent on: 07/31/2008 11:20:20
07/31/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Review Hearing Date: 08/27/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Hearing Vacated
06/25/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Sentencing Date: 07/31/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Held
06/25/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: The following event: Report and Sentencing scheduled for 06/30/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Hearing Vacated Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213
06/25/2008 Order Granting Motion Entered on the Docket Order signed by Judge Robert I. Richter on 6/24/08 granting Defendant's Unopposed Motion to Continue Sentencing Hearing; 6/30/08 sentencing date is continued to 7/31/08. Chambers telephonically notified defense counsel Bernstein, PDS, & AUSA Ditzler, USA's Office, on 6/25/08. Order docketed 6/25/08; copies mailed to parties by chmbrs. 6/25/08. MR
06/24/2008 Unopposed Motion to Continue Sentencing Hearing Filed Attorney: BERNSTEIN, Ms LAUREN B (481733)
05/02/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: no bond The following event: Felony Status Conference scheduled for 05/02/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Change of Plea to Guilty Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 psi ordered CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
05/02/2008 Information Filed in Open Court Charge #1: Assault On A Police Officer
05/02/2008 Waiver of Trial Filed
05/02/2008 Waiver of Indictment Filed Charge #1: Assault On A Police Officer
05/02/2008 Report and Sentence Event: Report and Sentencing Date: 06/30/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Hearing Vacated
05/02/2008 Form Generated: Prisoner Return Prisoner Return Sent on: 05/02/2008 09:45:38
05/02/2008 Charge Disposed - Plea Judgment Guilty
05/02/2008 Charge Disposed - Plea Judgment Guilty
04/30/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: no bond The following event: Felony Status Conference scheduled for 04/30/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Held Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 status conference hearing is continued or until an indictment is returned CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
04/30/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Felony Status Conference Date: 05/02/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Change of Plea to Guilty
04/30/2008 Form Generated: Prisoner Return Prisoner Return Sent on: 04/30/2008 10:19:20
04/23/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: no bond The following event: Felony Status Conference scheduled for 04/23/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Held Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 status conference hearing is continued or until an indictment is returned CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
04/23/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Felony Status Conference Date: 04/30/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Held
04/23/2008 Form Generated: Prisoner Return Prisoner Return Sent on: 04/23/2008 09:39:21
03/20/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: no bond The following event: Felony Status Conference scheduled for 03/20/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Held Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 status conference hearing is continued or until an indictment is returned, CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
03/20/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Felony Status Conference Date: 04/23/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Held
03/20/2008 Form Generated: Prisoner Return Prisoner Return Sent on: 03/20/2008 10:14:55
03/05/2008 Findings of Facts & Conclusions of Law Entered on the Docket Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Order of Detention Pending Trial signed by Judge Robert I. Richter on 3/5/08. Order docketed 3/5/08; copies mailed to parties by chmbrs. 3/5/08. MR
02/27/2008 Event Resulted - Release Status: no bond The following event: Preliminary Hearing scheduled for 02/27/2008 at 9:30 am has been resulted as follows: Result: Probable Cause Found Held for Grand Jury Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 govt. motion to hold the defendant without bond under 1322 b1a is granted by the court, probable cause found CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
02/27/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Felony Status Conference Date: 03/20/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Held
02/27/2008 Form Generated: Prisoner Return Prisoner Return Sent on: 02/27/2008 11:22:12
02/22/2008 CJA Eligibility
02/22/2008 Release Conditions
02/22/2008 Commitment Pending Disposition Filed Commitment Pending Disposition Sent on: 02/22/2008 16:08:16
02/22/2008 Defendant Preventively Detained pursuant to 23-1322(b) NO BOND The following event: Presentment scheduled for 02/22/2008 at 1:00 pm has been resulted as follows: Result: Preventive Detention GRANT Judge: WINGO, ELIZABETH Location: Courtroom C-10 Charge #1: Arrest Charge CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ELIZABETH WINGO on behalf of Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
02/22/2008 Attorney Appointed/ Attorney BERNSTEIN, Ms LAUREN B representing Defendant (Criminal) NIXON, CYNTHIA as of 02/22/2008 CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); ; Ms LAUREN B BERNSTEIN (Attorney) on behalf of CYNTHIA NIXON (Defendant (Criminal)); Judge ELIZABETH WINGO on behalf of Judge ROBERT I RICHTER
02/22/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Preliminary Hearing Date: 02/27/2008 Time: 9:30 am Judge: RICHTER, ROBERT I Location: Courtroom 213 Result: Probable Cause Found Held for Grand Jury
02/22/2008 Charge Filed Charge #2: Carry Pistol W/O Lic -Outside Home/Business
02/22/2008 Charge Filed Charge #1: Assault On A Police Officer
02/22/2008 Event Scheduled Event: Presentment Date: 02/22/2008 Time: 1:00 pm Judge: WINGO, ELIZABETH Location: Courtroom C-10 Result: Preventive Detention

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Links:
DC - Remote Access to Superior Court Dockets

In case you are wondering what time criminals may get for certain crimes, check out this document. Unfortunately, what is not explained is how to properly change suspected criminals, just what is the range of 'fair' prison sentences:

Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines Practice Manual - DC Sentencing and Criminal Code Revision Commission

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Geithner is a Tax Cheat AND NOW ALSO TREASURY SECRETARY?!?!

My original post on this guy "Simply Put, Timothy Geithner is a Tax Cheat" pretty much covers what I thought about his claim to have made a mistake in forgetting that the $34,000+ IN EXTRA MONEY he received from a past employer should have been paid to the IRS like all the documents he signed to get the extra money told him he needed to do. (And the IRS audit pointed out that he failed to do.)
It is ridiculous to accept his excuse that he just made a mistake. AT BEST he made many mistakes in this matter. But for a person to be reminded of what he needed to do and receive money for the purpose of making these payments makes him a tax cheat. Even if this is all one big misunderstanding, he still should not be confirmed simply because this does not look like a simple misunderstanding. Its looks like he acted in his own best interest and for that reason alone, should not be rewarded with this Government position.

By keeping his tax payments he stole from the US Treasury. And now Congress wants to put him in charge of it. This would be the same as a bank hiring a former bank robber. - Link
This guy should never have been rewarded with a promotion to Treasury Secretary. He should have been fired from his present job and banned from any Government employment. Now as I mentioned before, when do I get my chance to pay my taxes voluntarily?

Here is another take on this tax cheat's appointment, made by Ace of Spaces contributor 'Dr.John':


This guy is tainted by his past actions. Whether he did not pay intentionally or by mistake does not matter as many like myself think that it looks like he intentionally did not pay taxes he was required to. And that brings up a good point, since when does the Government accept the excuse that you didn't know or that you forgot? And you can be that this will only encourage more people to try. How about maxing out on payroll deductions to minimize your tax withholding and then just 'forgetting' to file your taxes, keeping what should have been paid to the IRS, instead waiting for the IRS to come and collect the money.

Hell, look at China. This Idiot Geithner accuses China of manipulating their currency. If I were China I would be looking at Geithner's list of excuses and throw them right back at him. How does the following sound:
- We didn't know that we should not be manipulating our currency?
- We forgot to stop manipulating our currency?
- It was not our intention to manipulate our currency?
- It is TurboTax's fault!
Shame on Congress for Confirming this Cheat. Shame on the Obama Administration for passing up other highly qualified non-cheating Americans who remember to pay ALL their taxes. Finally, shame on the Republicans who voted for this guy. Here was an easy place to make a stand and remind the Democrats of their goal of making the Government more accountable and ethical. Instead they rubber-stamp this guy. This is why you guys keep losing elections.
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Monday, January 26

Maritime Monday 146 Posted at gCaptain

This week's edition of Maritime Monday has been posted at gCaptain.


You can find last week’s edition here.

You can find Maritime Monday 96 here. (Published 4 February 2008).

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Previous Editions:
As linked below or click on the label ‘MaritimeMonday’:
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 - 32 - 33 - 34 - 35 - 36 - 37 - 38 - 39 - 40 - 41 - 42 - 43 - 44 - 45 - 46 - 47 - 48 - 49 - 50 - 51 - 52 - 53 - 54 - 55 - 56 - 57 - 58 - 59 - 60 - 61 - 62 - 63 - 64 - 65 - 66 - 67 - 68 - 69 - 70 - 71 - 72 - 73 - 74 - 75 - 76 - 77 - 78 - 79 - 80 - 81 - 82 - 83 - 84 - 85 - 86 - 87 - 88 - 89 - 90 - 91 - 92 - 93 - 94 - 95 - 96 - 97 - 98


gCaptain editions: 99 - 100 - 101 - 102 - 103 - 104 - 105 - 106 - 107 - 108 - 109 - 110 - 111 - 112 - 113 - 114 - 115 - 116 - 117 - 118 - 119 - 120 - 121 - 122 - 123 - 123a - 124 - 125 - 126 - 127 - 128 - 129 - 130 - 131 - 132 - 133 - 134 - 135 - 136 - 137 - 138 - 139 - 140 - 141 - 142 - 143 - 144 - 145 - 146
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Friday, January 23

Response: "What Foreign Policy Objectives Should the Obama Administration Establish as its Top Priorities?"

The US Department of State runs a Blog. This week they asked the following question:
Question of the Week: What Foreign Policy Objectives Should the Obama Administration Establish as its Top Priorities? - DIPNOTE


Comments are moderated as would be expected. So imagine my shock when they approved my comment:
Fred F. in New York writes:
1. Over a decade of engagement has not resulted in better relations with, or a less dangerous North Korea. The new Administration should push for the collapse of the North Korean Government or at the very least stop talking with them. No good can come from negotiations with these thugs. Not during Bush's term. Not during Clinton's either.

2. The U.S. should formally recognize Taiwan.

3. Stop giving Russia about $1 billion in aid each year.

4. Stop stepping in to aid every nation's population. That is their own Government's responsibility. If their government fails in this responsibility (like Zimbabwe) then their leaders should be pursued in the International courts or other...

Posted on Thu Jan 22, 2009 - Link
Seems that the main prevailing thought in the comments submitted is that the US should somehow punish Israel. Also, that the US should weaken itself (or other nonsense actions) to win back respect of the International community. Of course most of the International community does not deserve our respect to begin with nor should the US pander to make bullies happy. Oddly enough, there are also a number of comments pointing out true problems, such as a renegade Russia and China.

It will be interesting to see what Secretary Clinton decides on tackling first. With that in mind, don't get fooled by the news of the 'special Envoys' to the Middle East and Afghanistan/Pakistan. Those missions will produce nothing in the short and even middle term. This has all been done before. Clinton knows that too well with her husband trying to find a Middle East and North Korea solution during his years in the White House.
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Thursday, January 22

Pirates not the only ones holding merchant sailors hostage

Modern-day pirates are not the only kidnap threat that merchant seamen face these days. They also risk getting detained for much longer periods by national governments as they criminalize accidents. Take the following better-known examples:

HEBEI SPIRIT

While at anchor, the HEBEI SPIRIT was struck by an adrift barge in December 2007. The end result was South Korea’s worst oil spill. The ship’s Captain Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan remain jailed in south Korea until just recently. They have been detained for much longer than most seafarers have been held by pirates off Somalia. Here is the South Korean Government’s explanation why these two were deemed responsible:

The appeal court in Daejeon jailed Capt Chawla for 18 months and fined him Won20m after finding him guilty on two charges related to the oil spill. The court said Capt Chawla should have gone full astern to drag anchor to prevent the collision with the drifting crane barge Samsung No 1 which had earlier broken its tow.

The court said the master should not have pumped inert gas into the tanker’s cargo holds because it increased the spillage of oil when the explosive risk was low. It added the Hebei Spirit should have been ballasted to create a 10 degree list which would have prevented the oil spill, while three and a half hours to transfer oil between cargo tanks was too long. - Lloyd’s List

They apparently acted in good faith to try and deal with the situation. Unfortunately, those acts were later used against them. Imagine being sent to jail because someone hit your car while it was legally parked. Only last week have these two been freed on bail.

PRESTIGE

The PRESTIGE was an oil tanker that broke up and sank off Spain leaving a huge oil slick in it’s wake.

On November 13, 2002, while the Prestige was carrying a 77,000-ton cargo of two different grades of heavy fuel oil, one of its twelve tanks burst during a storm off Galicia, in northwestern Spain. Fearing that the ship would sink, the captain called for help from Spanish rescue workers, with the expectation that the vessel would be brought into harbour. However, pressure from local authorities forced the captain to steer the embattled ship away from the coast and head northwest. Reportedly after pressure from the French government, the vessel was once again forced to change its course and head southwards into Portuguese waters in order to avoid endangering France’s southern coast. Fearing for its own shore, the Portuguese authorities promptly ordered its navy to intercept the ailing vessel and prevent it from approaching further.

With the French, Spanish and Portuguese governments refusing to allow the ship to dock in their ports, the integrity of the single hulled oil tanker was deteriorating quickly and soon the storm took its toll when it was reported that a huge 40-foot section of the starboard hull had broken off, releasing a substantial amount of oil.

At around 8:00 AM on November 19, the ship split in half, and sank completely the very same afternoon releasing over 20 million gallons of oil into the sea. The oil tanker was reported to be about 250 kilometers from the Spanish coast at that time. An earlier oil slick had already reached the coast. The Greek captain of the Prestige, Apostolos Mangouras, was taken into custody, accused of not co-operating with salvage crews and of harming the environment. - Wikipedia

His attempts to save the ship were thwarted by a game of hot potato by the local European Governments. One might say that these actions by French, Spanish and Portuguese governments contributed to the eventual breakup of the ship and resulting disaster. As thanks for being put in such a situation, the Spanish Government threw the Captain in jail. He sat there for 83 days until a three million Euro bail was paid. To this day he has to report to the police in Greece regularly as criminal charges remain unresolved.

CORAL SEA

The Captain of the CORAL SEA was arrested and thrown in a Greek jail after cocaine was found hidden in the ship’s cargo of bananas. Despite there being no evidence that any crew members had any knowledge of the drug shipment, the Greek Government decided to throw him in jail anyway with a 14 year sentence since he was responsible as Captain. Only recently has he been cleared of these charges and released. Hear is the Captain commenting on his treatment in this matter:

“The police in Europe and America will not come to me saying that they found something on the ship. On the contrary, they will hide it from me and follow where the drugs are going. If the freight comes to its destination, and in the end something comes back to me, then they will know that I am guilty. But these in Greece arrested me because I was the closest. It is interesting that the boxes that the drugs were in were immediately destroyed and thrown away. Without any search, or looking for fingerprints. We brought them a book from Eduador with fingerprints of all who were on the ship, only for them to say that they do not need it because they do not have the boxes” says -.–.-Kristo Laptalo with his wife.Laptalo. He stressed that sea farers have to be ready, because something like this can happen, and it is most important that the company stands behind them. - Javno.com

SOL TRADER

Sometimes ships are ‘arrested’ for any number of reasons, such as if the owner has unpaid bills. The SOL TRADER was recently arrested in Slovenia. Once again the crew become mere pawns in the matter:

The Sol Trader was impounded on 6 January in the Adriatic port of Koper for non-payment of debts to a fuel supplier.

Predrag Brazzoduro told the Zagreb-based Javno.hr news portal that food and water supply to the crew was halted after their first day in the port. He also said the crew has not been paid in months, so seafarers have no money to buy food.

He called for Slovenian officials to allow the ship to be laid up so the crew can come ashore. - Fairplay

A vessel arrest or the abandonment of a ship in a port can quickly turn a ship into a jail for its crew. A jail where nobody is responsible for the inmates. These cases do get sorted out and crews paid, eventually. I wonder how many ships currently being held by the pirates of Somalia have been abandoned by their owners?

COSCO BUSAN

On November 7th, 2007, While departing San Francisco in fog, the COSCO BUSAN struck the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. It is my understanding that at least six member of the crew were detained in the US as ‘Material Witnesses’. After about a year, apparently two of them were permitted to leave the country after completing videotaped depositions and written statements. The Captain and three others remain trapped in the US, but otherwise free to move about. Then again, it is hard to move about without income and salary payments have been an issue.

I did leave this one for last as this is the one incident where chances are that the crew can be seen as at least partly responsible for the accident. (Most of the blame is being assigned to the pilot though). However, they should not have to be detained for so long, especially if they are only going to be treated as ‘witnesses’ to the accident.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that a shipping magnate was kidnapped in Greece last week:

ATHENS, Greece, Jan. 20 (UPI) — A 74-year-old Greek shipping tycoon is in good condition after being freed by kidnappers following payment of an estimated $39 million ransom, officials say.

Pericles Panagopoulos was freed Tuesday, eight days after he was abducted. He was found by a passing police car near the industrial district of Aspropyrgos, just west of Athens, The Times of London reported. - UPI

Did they realize that they didn’t need to actually kidnap a ship, instead kidnapping a vessel owner. I wonder if they saw all the ransoms being paid to the pirates and said ‘Me too!’ At any rate, it seems that they picked their target wisely, looking at the payoff. I suspect that the family might not have been so generous had it been one of their ships that was taken instead.

The goal of this article is to point out some of the lesser-known risks of being a merchant sailor and how sailors are treated. This is a problem even in the US. A good example is the story of Captain Villy Larsen of the cargoship DANICA WHITE’s run-in with the Coast Guard. He ended up spending over 100 days in a US jail for something that probably could have been resolved in a more positive fashion. (Read his story here: “Villy Larsen: I regret my behaviour” ) that has been recognized by the US Coast Guard Commandant (and fellow USNI guest blogger) Thad Allen to the point of having issue a statement on the subject:

USCG boss urges seafarer respect - WASHINGTON, DC 5 March – Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen has urged members of his service to treat commercial seafarers “with the utmost professionalism and respect.” In a communication sent to “all hands”, Admiral Allen acknowledged that he has “received reports from highly respected professionals recounting Coast Guard boardings, inspections and investigations not displaying professionalism. Additionally, some have said they lost the complete trust they once had in the Coast Guard and are fearful of retribution if they challenge the Coast Guard.” Allen wrote, “We must change this perception,” noting that licensed and documented mariners are “professionals who share our interests in a safe, secure and environmentally compliant industry.” He recalled the words of Alexander Hamilton (the first US Secretary of the Treasury who launched the Revenue Cutter Service) that free men are impatient of “everything that bears the least mark of domineering spirit” and said that applies “as much today as it did in 1790 and equally to international mariners and our trading partners”. - Fairplay Homepage

In many cases there is no voice of authority to speak out for the rights of the seafarer. However, it is not a reason to take advantage of them.

(Cross posted at the US Naval Institute Blog)

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Tuesday, January 20

ChangeOver of WHITEHOUSE.GOV Webpage

Here is what the White House's homepage looked at 11:28 this morning:



This is what you got at 12:04 P.M.



UPDATE: 12:12 this afternoon the new website was up:



And the new President's website includes a Blog:



Update 12:20: The Bush Record is of course gone:



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Congratulations to President Obama!

Welcome to the new President of the United States, Barack Obama. As President I wish him the best in making this Country a better and safer place to live.

While I did not vote for him, nor do I particularly like him, it does not mean that I don't want him to do well. This country has only one President and it is in nobody's interest to see him fail. So with that in mind, let's celebrate and move forward!

(and yes, I will continue to criticize his policies that I do not agree with, just like I did when President Bush was in charge. So do not take my post above in any way as giving the New President a Free Pass.)
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