The Rocky Mountain News (via talkleft.com) reports that a fundraising concert took place led by two of the biggest names in music.
Obama also offered a new explanation for his decision to seek the White House.
"I was sitting offstage with (his wife) Michelle, and I ... said, 'Honey, the reason I'm running for president is I can't be Bruce Springsteen. I can't be Billy Joel,'" Obama said.
Much of the talk was about not getting overconfident. The CNN report is all about the warnings Obama has issued to his supporters.
Sen. Barack Obama cautioned supporters Thursday against becoming complacent during the final days leading up to the election, noting he lost the New Hampshire primary despite a lead in the polls.
What's your opinion? Is it possible for the "Democrats to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory" again? I'm sticking with my original prediction: Obama by a landslide.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Overseas Voters - It's Time to Register
Thanks to Tristero over at Hullabaloo, I discovered the best site for overseas US citizens to organize their vote. It's called the Overseas Vote Foundation and they provide the most user-friendly way to register and to receive your absentee ballot.
I don't know about you, but I find it a daunting prospect to call or go to the US Embassy here in Rome. Maybe it's easier in other cities, maybe it's the Italian civilian employees, maybe it's the over-the-top security procedures they have in place, whatever. It could be me. I have such a distrust of government still, and let's face it, at the US Embassy, government is right in your face, from the Marine guards at the entrance to the pictures of President Bush in every room.
In any case, I registered to vote just now, first time ever.
I don't know about you, but I find it a daunting prospect to call or go to the US Embassy here in Rome. Maybe it's easier in other cities, maybe it's the Italian civilian employees, maybe it's the over-the-top security procedures they have in place, whatever. It could be me. I have such a distrust of government still, and let's face it, at the US Embassy, government is right in your face, from the Marine guards at the entrance to the pictures of President Bush in every room.
In any case, I registered to vote just now, first time ever.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Frank Lefty Rosenthal Dies - of Natural Causes
Lefty Rosenthal's obituary is all over the news today. He achieved national prominence in 1961 when he testified before the Senate, exercising his right to remain silent under the 5th Amendment dozens of times. Most people know him as the Ace Rothstein character played by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's great movie Casino.
Sports Illustrated once crowned him the greatest living expert on sports handicapping. But eventually Rosenthal was listed in Nevada's "black book" of unsavory types banned from the state's casinos because of his ties to the Mafia. He ended up in South Florida.
On Graney and the Pig's Blog there's a wonderful report including several photos.
Many of the events portrayed in the movie were %100 true. Rosenthal had a criminal background in Chicago for illegal gambling. He did come west and eventually headed a Las Vegas sportsbook. He married a Sharon Stone-like woman who took his money and died of a drug overdose and he did host a Las Vegas tv talk show. Oscar Goodman (later the mayor of Las Vegas) really was his lawyer. He also really did survive a 1982 assassination attempt by the mafia with a car bomb.
For me, the greatest thing, among many great things in this film, is the performance of Sharon Stone. A couple years earlier she hit the big time with Basic Instincts, but after seeing her in Casino, I knew she was more than just another pretty face.
But, what do you think about that old problem of stereotyping Italian-Americans. I realize Rosenthal / Rothstein is Jewish, but Joe Pesci's character and most of the others are Italian-American. Is there a problem with this? What do you think?
Sports Illustrated once crowned him the greatest living expert on sports handicapping. But eventually Rosenthal was listed in Nevada's "black book" of unsavory types banned from the state's casinos because of his ties to the Mafia. He ended up in South Florida.
On Graney and the Pig's Blog there's a wonderful report including several photos.
Many of the events portrayed in the movie were %100 true. Rosenthal had a criminal background in Chicago for illegal gambling. He did come west and eventually headed a Las Vegas sportsbook. He married a Sharon Stone-like woman who took his money and died of a drug overdose and he did host a Las Vegas tv talk show. Oscar Goodman (later the mayor of Las Vegas) really was his lawyer. He also really did survive a 1982 assassination attempt by the mafia with a car bomb.
For me, the greatest thing, among many great things in this film, is the performance of Sharon Stone. A couple years earlier she hit the big time with Basic Instincts, but after seeing her in Casino, I knew she was more than just another pretty face.
But, what do you think about that old problem of stereotyping Italian-Americans. I realize Rosenthal / Rothstein is Jewish, but Joe Pesci's character and most of the others are Italian-American. Is there a problem with this? What do you think?
Would the Real Donnie Brasco Please Stand Up
CNN reports today that the real-life Donnie Brasco, Joseph Pistone, refuses to testify on behalf of his friend and former colleague, ex-FBI Agent John Connolly. We discussed the Connolly case before, here, when his trial began in Miami.
This story is better than most movies. Connolly allegedly provided information to the Boston Mafia that led to the assassination of gambling kingpin John Callahan in 1982. That took place in Miami. The trigger man is now out of prison and testifying against Connolly.
Pistone's testimony was intended to show the difficulty of investigating organized crime and handling informants who are often violent criminals themselves.
What do you think about this case? It's got a bit of everything. It's got cops that go deep under cover, perhaps becoming tainted by the mobster environment; it's got contract killings; it's got Donnie Brasco, for crying out loud. Forget about it.
This story is better than most movies. Connolly allegedly provided information to the Boston Mafia that led to the assassination of gambling kingpin John Callahan in 1982. That took place in Miami. The trigger man is now out of prison and testifying against Connolly.
Pistone's testimony was intended to show the difficulty of investigating organized crime and handling informants who are often violent criminals themselves.
What do you think about this case? It's got a bit of everything. It's got cops that go deep under cover, perhaps becoming tainted by the mobster environment; it's got contract killings; it's got Donnie Brasco, for crying out loud. Forget about it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Motion for Troy Davis
On the NCADP site (National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty), to which I belong as a member, they released the bad news for Troy Davis. It's not only bad news for his, but it's bad news for all of us.
Troy Anthony Davis is currently on death row in Georgia and his execution was scheduled for September 23rd, 2008. Two hours before he was to be killed he received stay from the U.S. Supreme Court pending its decision as to whether it will hear his appeal. On October 14, 2008, the Court denied his request for relief so that his evidence of innocence could be heard in a legal proceeding. Troy Davis' execution may be scheduled at any point and carried out within weeks.
We discussed this case a few weeks ago, here, when the Stay of Execution was granted in practically the last minute.
The same questions persist: if there is any doubt that the sentence is just, shouldn't the government do everything within its power to correct that? With so many witnesses recanting their testimony, doesn't this sound like a case that merits deeper scrutiny?
Also, what benefit is there in carrying out a death penalty anyway? Does it not diminish our cultural and societal advancement? Neanderthals perhaps needed such measures 30,000 years ago, but I really don't think we do. Today the only understandable reason for capital punishment is revenge, and I don't consider that acceptable.
Here's the New York Times report.
The case has led to an outpouring of support for Mr. Davis, largely because seven of nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony, with two claiming that the police had pressured them to testify against him. Prosecutors presented no physical evidence and no murder weapon, and three witnesses have said another man admitted to the murder.
My opinion is that the death penalty is wrong. But, even for proponents of capital punishment, I would expect the supreme consideration to be the avoidance of a wrongful execution. This could be one of them.
What's your opinion?
Troy Anthony Davis is currently on death row in Georgia and his execution was scheduled for September 23rd, 2008. Two hours before he was to be killed he received stay from the U.S. Supreme Court pending its decision as to whether it will hear his appeal. On October 14, 2008, the Court denied his request for relief so that his evidence of innocence could be heard in a legal proceeding. Troy Davis' execution may be scheduled at any point and carried out within weeks.
We discussed this case a few weeks ago, here, when the Stay of Execution was granted in practically the last minute.
The same questions persist: if there is any doubt that the sentence is just, shouldn't the government do everything within its power to correct that? With so many witnesses recanting their testimony, doesn't this sound like a case that merits deeper scrutiny?
Also, what benefit is there in carrying out a death penalty anyway? Does it not diminish our cultural and societal advancement? Neanderthals perhaps needed such measures 30,000 years ago, but I really don't think we do. Today the only understandable reason for capital punishment is revenge, and I don't consider that acceptable.
Here's the New York Times report.
The case has led to an outpouring of support for Mr. Davis, largely because seven of nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony, with two claiming that the police had pressured them to testify against him. Prosecutors presented no physical evidence and no murder weapon, and three witnesses have said another man admitted to the murder.
My opinion is that the death penalty is wrong. But, even for proponents of capital punishment, I would expect the supreme consideration to be the avoidance of a wrongful execution. This could be one of them.
What's your opinion?
National Review Fires Chris Buckley for Endorsing Obama
The Washington Post reports today that the National Review, bulwark of conservative thought founded by William F. Buckley, accepted the resignation of the founder's son, Christopher Buckley.
Buckley delivered his endorsement of the Democratic presidential nominee last Thursday in the cyberpages of the Daily Beast, a new, blog-heavy Web site launched by Tina Brown, the former editor of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker. "I went out of my way to spare NR from being associated with this endorsement," Buckley said.
The barrage of e-mails to the publication precipitated Buckley's offer of resignation which was accepted forthwith. It makes perfect sense to me that a conservative magazine would insist that their contributors pull the company line. What do you think?
Here's the story in his own words. (via Patrick)
Buckley delivered his endorsement of the Democratic presidential nominee last Thursday in the cyberpages of the Daily Beast, a new, blog-heavy Web site launched by Tina Brown, the former editor of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker. "I went out of my way to spare NR from being associated with this endorsement," Buckley said.
The barrage of e-mails to the publication precipitated Buckley's offer of resignation which was accepted forthwith. It makes perfect sense to me that a conservative magazine would insist that their contributors pull the company line. What do you think?
Here's the story in his own words. (via Patrick)
Does this sound like disloyalty to the Party or to his family tradition? Or did Christopher Buckley experience a gradual transition in his perceptions? Here are some of his reasons:
As for Senator Obama: He has exhibited throughout a “first-class temperament,” pace Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.’s famous comment about FDR. As for his intellect, well, he’s a Harvard man, though that’s sure as heck no guarantee of anything, these days.
I’ve read Obama’s books, and they are first-rate. He is that rara avis, the politician who writes his own books.
Obama has in him—I think, despite his sometimes airy-fairy “We are the people we have been waiting for” silly rhetoric—the potential to be a good, perhaps even great leader.
Please feel free to leave a comment.
As for Senator Obama: He has exhibited throughout a “first-class temperament,” pace Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.’s famous comment about FDR. As for his intellect, well, he’s a Harvard man, though that’s sure as heck no guarantee of anything, these days.
I’ve read Obama’s books, and they are first-rate. He is that rara avis, the politician who writes his own books.
Obama has in him—I think, despite his sometimes airy-fairy “We are the people we have been waiting for” silly rhetoric—the potential to be a good, perhaps even great leader.
Please feel free to leave a comment.
Drug Courts are Saving Addicts from Prison
The New York Times ran a story today about the drug courts that are not sending addicts to prison but into treatment programs instead.
In Seattle, as in drug courts across the country, the stern face of criminal justice is being redrawn, and emotions are often on the surface. Experts say drug courts have been the country’s fastest-spreading innovation in criminal justice, giving arrested addicts a chance to avoid prison by agreeing to stringent oversight and addiction treatment. Recent studies show drug courts are one of the few initiatives that reduce recidivism — on average by 8 percent to 10 percent nationally and as high as 26 percent in New York State — and save taxpayer money.
I'm always sceptical about these types of statistics, but in spite of the self-serving promotion, I think it might be true. Time spent in prison rarely contributes towards rehabilitation. Perhaps the only hope for addicts is something like this. Instead of spending time with other criminals, they would spend that time with other addicts trying to stay clean. Maybe it's all about peer pressure.
What do you think? Can addicted people ever really change? Do you think the problem with the old way is that it was not harsh enough?
Since the first drug court began work, in Miami in 1989, the idea has spread to more than 2,100 courtrooms in every state, though they still take in only a small fraction of addicted criminals. Offenders, usually caught in low-level dealing or stealing to support their addictions, volunteer for 9 to 18 months or more of intrusive supervision by a judge, including random urine testing, group therapy and mandatory sobriety meetings.
Let us know your opinion.
In Seattle, as in drug courts across the country, the stern face of criminal justice is being redrawn, and emotions are often on the surface. Experts say drug courts have been the country’s fastest-spreading innovation in criminal justice, giving arrested addicts a chance to avoid prison by agreeing to stringent oversight and addiction treatment. Recent studies show drug courts are one of the few initiatives that reduce recidivism — on average by 8 percent to 10 percent nationally and as high as 26 percent in New York State — and save taxpayer money.
I'm always sceptical about these types of statistics, but in spite of the self-serving promotion, I think it might be true. Time spent in prison rarely contributes towards rehabilitation. Perhaps the only hope for addicts is something like this. Instead of spending time with other criminals, they would spend that time with other addicts trying to stay clean. Maybe it's all about peer pressure.
What do you think? Can addicted people ever really change? Do you think the problem with the old way is that it was not harsh enough?
Since the first drug court began work, in Miami in 1989, the idea has spread to more than 2,100 courtrooms in every state, though they still take in only a small fraction of addicted criminals. Offenders, usually caught in low-level dealing or stealing to support their addictions, volunteer for 9 to 18 months or more of intrusive supervision by a judge, including random urine testing, group therapy and mandatory sobriety meetings.
Let us know your opinion.
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