Justice Ain't Blind, It's Cross-Eyed

On April 20, 2010, Schuylkill County President Judge William E. Baldwin:

• Sentenced Nancy J. Kane for a DUI. Kane, 41, has to serve 30 days to six months in prison under the terms of Baldwin's sentence, which the judge made effective at 9 a.m. April 25.He also sentenced her to pay costs, $800 in fines, a $100 SAEF payment and $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street.
  Kane pleaded guilty on Feb. 25 to DUI, driving an unregistered vehicle and improper turning movements, which Schuylkill Haven borough police had charged her with committing on April 4, 2009, in the borough.
• Another defendant, David A. Bevan, 50, of Auburn, will spend 48 hours to six months in prison, pay costs, a $750 fine, a $100 SAEF payment, $60 restitution to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street and a $194.58 bench warrant fee under the terms of Baldwin's sentence, which the judge made effective at 6 p.m. today.
  Bevan pleaded guilty on Feb. 25 to DUI, which state police at Schuylkill Haven charged him with committing on Sept. 6, 2008.
• In another April 22 hearing, David C. Kemmerer, 47, of Barnesville, will spend 60 months in the intermediate punishment program, which combines supervision and treatment, under the terms of Baldwin's sentence.
  Kemmerer pleaded guilty on Feb. 25 to DUI, driving under suspension-DUI related, careless driving and seat belt violation, which state police at Frackville charged him with committing on March 5, 2009.
  Kemmerer also must pay costs, $3,535 in fines and a $300 SAEF payment and perform 40 hours community service under the terms of Baldwin's sentence.

It's probably a good thing a certain city fire captain was arrested in  the City of Champions rather than Barnesville.

For pleading guilty to two DUIs, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Beth Lazzara sentenced him to 
"a week on house arrest" as well as "serve nine months of probation, pay $1,500 in fines, attend safe driving classes and pay court costs."

In return for pleading guilty, prosecutors  dropped several other charges. With minimal effort, those additional charges can be found online. Interesting reading.

"You, sir, have a position as a role model in the community. Little kids look up to you," Lazzara said. "A guilty plea to two DUIs is certainly not living up to that."

Is it any surprise there seems to be a we're-teflon, can't-touch-this mentality within the ranks of the city payroll?

Oh yeah, obviously the captain is a safer drinker than he is a driver. Hope the classes help.

Check out the Pittsburgh Comet for a related story.

Mr. Ben-isan Goes To Tokyo

• Just for giggles, what do you think the caption says?
• Why didn't someone tell me there's scammers on the web? Seriously, check this out for some laughs. The Trophy Room is hilarious
• I wonder if the Ambassador has the new Eminem on his I-pod.

"F**k that, I'd rather turn this club into a bar room brawl.
Get as rowdy as Roethlisberger in a bathroom stall"

•  Pens and Canadiens in Round 2. F-Ovechkin. It says here he never gets his name on the Cup (nice photoshop)
• OBLIGATORY PIRATES NOTE AHEAD: The Buccos stretched their win streak to TWO yesterday. They beat the Brewers,1-0, in Milwaukee no less. And took 14 innings to do it. Just a note to those who say each game is just 1 game, that winning by one or losing by 20 aside, it's just 1 game: 9-12 (W/L) is not the same as 78-155. Take a look at those numbers... 78 Runs Scored, 155 Runs Against. Now, say you're in a fight. You punch the other guy in the face 9 times and he gets 12 shots in on you. Next day, same guy, you get in 78 to his 155. Still think the numbers are the same?
• How far wrong has an interview gone when "Is your Mom a prostitute?" seems like the next logical question?

"My job is to find out as much information as possible about a player that I'm considering drafting. Sometimes that leads to asking in-depth questions,"

WTF

UPDATE

The latest Big Ben news...

Time For Goodbye

I always knew that the day would come when it would be time to step back and away from the keyboard and, as Chuck Noll would say, get on with my life's work. I guess I just never thought it would come so soon. After all, it was just about a year ago that I started this little cyber-journey. It's amazing, looking back through past posts, just how little has changed.

The beginning of the end came the other day as I was checking my e-mails.

From the Sports Desk

Lost among the Roethlisberger fiasco and the Draft Day festivities...

Read the whole incredible story here.

While I'm Thinking About It...

• First, obviously, Ben Roethlisberger: I am absolutely astounded at the number of people out there who were surprised that Big Ben got a suspension for his antics. Personally, I wouldn't have objected to a season off for the idiot. I also believe that any "stern talking to" he was going to receive was given after the alleged Nevada incident. (Side note- remember all the interviews, news conferences, denials, etc, after Lake Tahoe? Pretty silent this time, huh?)

I also think that a suspension, by the Steelers at least, became inevitable right after the "Don't make me
come over there" call came from Dublin.

And to the "it's just not fair, he wasn't convicted of anything" crowd- Nowhere in anything that I've read,
have I seen that the dumbass was suspended for rape, assault , or any other crime. He's not going to jail,
just getting some time off from work. Think about your job. I'm betting you could probably be suspended
for violating policy without being convicted, right? Also, how 'bout this simple exercise- take a couple of
minutes to read this, only substitute Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, or Peyton Manning wherever you read
Ben Roethlisberger. How do you feel about suspension now?

All of this is not to say he should or will be traded. Floating his name during Draft Week, I think hope was
just the final piece in "Message.Sent." Trading him just doesn't make good sense. I don't think that moral
high ground will mean much in December when the team needs an MIT professor to explain what needs
to happen to get a Wild Card berth.

"Fly Like an Eagle..."

Breaking news...

American Airlines Now Charging Fees To Non-Passengers

FORT WORTH, TX—Cash-strapped American Airlines announced a new series of fees this week that will apply to all customers not currently flying, scheduled to fly, or even thinking about flying aboard the commercial carrier.

The fees, the latest introduced by American Airlines in a continuing effort to combat its financial woes, will take effect on Monday. According to company officials, these charges will include a $25 tax on citizens traveling with any other airline, as well as a mandatory $30 surcharge for passengers who decide to just stay home for the holidays instead.

"Tough times unfortunately mean tough measures," American Airlines president Gerard Arpey said. "It's never an easy decision to ask our loyal customers, as well as thousands of people chosen at random out of a telephone book, to pay a little extra, but that's just the reality of today's economic climate. We hope all Americans will understand this when receiving one of our new bills in the mail."

Read the full story here.

RIP

ETHAN LONEY

From the Mailbag

In the Inbox...

Ted Nugent, rock star and avid bow hunter from Michigan , was being interviewed by a liberal journalist, an animal rights activist.  The discussion came around to deer hunting.

The journalist asked, 'What do you think is the last thought in the head of a deer before you shoot him? Is it, 'Are you my friend?' or is it 'Are you the one who killed my brother?

Nugent replied, 'Deer aren't capable of that kind of thinking. All they care about is, what am I going to eat next, who am I going to screw next, and can I run fast enough to get away. They are very much like the Democrats in Congress.'

    The interview ended. 

Go Ted!!
Check Snopes.com for the whole story.

In Memoriam

All Gave Some, Some Gave All

Introducing Your 2010 Pittsburgh Pirates...

From Dejan Kovacevic at the PG:

Forget .500 ball, get Cooperstown on the phone!

Seriously, every year at Pirate opener time I think "hell, this just may be the year. Maybe these are the guys." Then, before I know it, I'm wishing for L.A. Law's  Arnie Becker, Willie Mayes Hayes, and Carlos Irwin Estevez.

And, every year, the Guy in the Pontiac Vibe bets me $5 that the Buccos will go .500. And, being the contrarian I am, I take the bet. A few more years of the Nutting regime and my 401(k) should be back to pre- dot-com bubble crash numbers.

Something different this season though. Win or lose the kids win. I jumped on Ginny's This is the Year bandwagon over at That's Church. I hear that bandwagon has "margaritas, burritos, hot babes, shirtless football players, playful puppies, a billion dollars in cash on board, and we don’t brake for pigeons."  There's plenty of room on the wagon. Or, for you realists naysayers out there, you can click on the Not an Ice Cream Cone's Chance in Hell No This is Not the Year link. Either way, the money's for the kids.

 So It's Time. We Will. Or Come See Us Play. Let's go Bucs!!

Besides if you Come Hungry there's always the Victory Knot. Only 81 victories costs me $5. Hell, this just may be the year. Maybe these are the guys.

Happy Easter or Spring Celebration*

*Phrasing used in the "We won't be beat on ham prices" ad played at the local Iggle. F'ing multicultural diversity!

Just Sayin'

The Winner is....

April Fool 2010: Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA)

From Boortz.com:

Watch this YouTube video. Watch it and then feel sorry for the citizens of DeKalb County, Georgia. The star of this video is one Hank Johnson. He is questioning Navy Admiral Robert Willard, the commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet. about some troop movements involving the island of Guam. Now seriously .. I want you to watch this. You'll be rewarded, I promise. About 1:20 into this clip you will hear Congressman Hank Johnson .. a Democrat (naturally) representing Georgia's 4th congressional district ... tell this Navy Admiral that he has some concerns about the addition of 8000 additional Navy personnel and their families to the island. Now ... and trust me, I looked for an April Fools element to this ... you are going to hear Hank Johnson express a concern that with 8000 more people Guam might -----

TIP OVER AND CAPSIZE????

First global warming and now islands capsizing? Boy, this planet is a mess.