Militia was just released for CS:S

Ok, where the emote for "middle finger"?

..|.,

That's the one I'm used to. Not sure how it'll show up on the BlueBoard. Also, the Angry Kitty:
,.|.. ^-.-^ ..|.,

The top people may have gotten away largely free

Uh, you guys do know that the Enron trials haven't really started yet, right? Ken Lay's trial is due to start next week (they're currently arguing over who gets to have the bench closest to the jury...) and since both the CFO and the head accountant have turned state's evidence most pundits are talking doom 'n' gloom for Lay and his cronies.

It's not going to help the average Joe who got screwed, but hopefully the scumbags will rot in jail for the rest of their lives.

I think her pattern of behavior was probably considered as well during sentencing. She's been doing this type of thing for years.


Prior behavior had to have been considered. I mean, there are some stupid people out there, but to pull of this kind of fraud and the kind of coverage it received, prior planning had to have taken place. And prior planning with any successive results almost always falls back on past history. Nine years is excessive for this kind of crime. Hell, involuntary manslaughter sentences often run less. But I doubt the couple were perfectly law abiding citizens before they pulled this stunt.





Meanwhile, the whole Enron thing came and went and none of the real responsible people got nailed for anything.


A lot more went on with Enron than made the news. It seemed to me that a lot of the people responsible for that debacle were middle level executives who eventually reported to the top corporate officers. The top people may have gotten away largely free, but I'm sure Uncle Sam locked away a number of people anyway.

Though you're right, it was the average joe worker who got screwed in that case though.

This comment was edited on Jan 18, 17:56.

While I'm glad they got caught, the sentence is out of line. They should definitely have recieved some jail time, but 9 years is excessive. Particularly when you compare that to all the white collar criminals who steal hundreds of millions of dollars and get off with a slap on the wrist or get away with it entirely. Justice seems to be only for the rich in America, which is one more reason its failing.

Kind of reminds me of the whole "Martha Stuart" thing, only here I AM glad they nailed people here.

Yeh, what Martha S did was wrong, but it wasn't that bad. She made a few grand, big friggin woop. Do you think she's the first rich person to do that? Now, had she made hundreds of thousands or more, then that's another story. But the gov made a big stink about it.

Meanwhile, the whole Enron thing came and went and none of the real responsible people got nailed for anything. MANY people got screwed over, those that committed the fraud/whatever got away with millions, and yet the poor workers are still S.O.L. But don't worry, we nailed Martha!

This person indirectly caused people to lose their jobs. So I whole-heartily agree she needs some jail time. 9 years may sound like a lot, but considering she's been getting away with the BS for a while already, she had it coming.

P.S.
I have no love for Martha, honestly I can't stand her. I just think she got the shaft for the sole purpose that the gov wanted to put a good foot forward in "stopping the rich from being crooks."


"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you."
-Fry, Futurmama

LOL

I LOVE ASCII ART (or whatever it's called).

That's friggin slick, and funny to boot.


"Space. It seems to go on and on forever. But then you get to the end and a gorilla starts throwing barrels at you."
-Fry, Futurmama

Ok, where the emote for "middle finger"?

Emote middle finger? Bah. How about:

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...|... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .._,,-~~~-,-,,_
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...|... ... ... ,,---,,_... ...,-~",-":__-,: : :"-,:::"'~,,
.,,-~~--,, ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...|... ... ,~": : --,,:"~,,-"::::/:,-". . ."'~-,,: \,::::_,,"~-,,
/: : : : : : :"'~-,,... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |... ... /: : : : :~"'\,: \::__/:|o--,,. . . . .\,: ¯¯: : : : : :"-,
\: : : : : : : : : : :""~,,... ... ... ... ... ... ... |... ... .\: : : : : :,,-"~": : : "'~~-,:"'~-,,_|: : :,-"¯¯¯¯"-,:|
.'~,: : : : : : : : : : : : :"'~-,,_... ... ... ... ...|... ... .."-,_: ,-" : : : : : : : : : : : "~,--~": : (o~--,,_. . |:|
... ."'~-,,: : : : : : : : : : : : :"-,~--,... ... ... |... ... ... ...,/: : : : : : ,,--,-,~-,,: : :"~-,,: : :"~,___:"-/,/__
... ... ...,"~"~--,,_,,-~"`"`": : "-,::"'~~--,,_..| ... ... ... ..|: : : ,: :,-". ,-"./. . . ."-,,_: : :"~-~": : : :"'-,,~,:"-,,
... ... .,/: : : : --,,:|: : : : : : : : :"-,,::::::::::::"~--,,_... ... \: : :|: /. .,/. . |. . . ,-".|. "~,,_____,,,,,__:\: : : : |
... ... .|: : : : : : : "|: : : : : : :,: : : :\:::::::::::::::::::::"'~~-,,"-,:|: |. /. . . .|. .,-". . |. ,-"'. \. . .,/|. . . .",:\: : ,/
... ... ..\, : : : : : ,/ : : : : : : :|: : : ,/::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::"\: "-,,___,\,/___,,\/___. |,-". |. . . ,/.|: |,~"
... ... ... ",-,,,__/: : : : : : :,/,_~"-:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::"-,,____,, : : : : : : : : : "'~,,,/.,,~". ,/: /
... ... ... /: : : : :"-,,___,,-": : ,"-,-:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::'\: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : "-"__,-":,-"
... ... ... '\,_: : : : : : /-,,___,,"~-----~~~~,~---,,__::::::::::::::::::::::|: : : : : : : : __,,--~"~,,___,,-"
... ... ... ... ."'~---~"... ... ... ... ... ... ...|---~"::::"'~-::::::::::::::::,/: : : : : : : : : :\"~,,
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .|::::::::::::::::::::::::::::,,": : : : : : : : : : : |:::::"-,,
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .|:::::::::::::::::::::::,,-": : : : : : : : : : : : :,|:::::::::"-,
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .|::::::::::_,,,--~~": : : : : : : : : : : : : : :,/::::::::::::::\,
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .|----~~" : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :,/::::::::::::::::::\,
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .|: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :,-,"::::::::::::::::::::::\
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : _,,~"SL'\,::::::::::::::::::::::\
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :,,-"... ... ... .\:::::::::::::::::::::::\
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |: : : : : : : : : : : :_,,--~"... ... ... ... ...\:::::::::::::::::::::::\

http://www.ubersite.com/m/47705


http://www.frappr.com/bluesnewsmembers
Show me where you live! I promise it will only hurt the first time.
This comment was edited on Jan 18, 16:38.

Dangit. I thought you were finally delivering nin the beatdown he so richly deserves!

Ok, where the emote for "middle finger"?



--------------------------------------------------------------
GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 13 W/Mo

http://www.goldfrapp.co.uk/

Edit: This is in response to Halsy's comment - nin beat me to it.

Dangit. I thought you were finally delivering nin the beatdown he so richly deserves!

I have no problem with the sentence, I just wish other sentences were increased as well. From AP:

The Dublin, Ohio-based fast food chain claimed it lost $2.5 million in sales because of the bad publicity and dozens of workers at the company's Northern California franchises were laid off.

The sentencing followed a 90-minute hearing in which several Wendy's employees testified, including the man who made the chili and the cashier who helped Ayala on the day she made the claim.

"I felt so bad for the fear of what people would think of me," said Hector Pineda, who made the chili and initially came under suspicion. "We are the ones that have suffered."

In April, Ayala was arrested at her suburban Las Vegas home for filing a false claim against the restaurant chain. Investigators found a pattern of legal claims she brought against businesses in her name or for her children.

I think that deserves more than a slap on the wrist, don't you? The "working poor" you profess to care so much about lost their jobs because of her / them and it apparently means very little to you.

I think her pattern of behavior was probably considered as well during sentencing. She's been doing this type of thing for years. I guess because she isn't rich, it isn't really blackmail to you?

Edit: This is in response to Halsy's comment - nin beat me to it.

*** Warhawk ***

Your repeated violation of the Verbal Morality Statute has caused me to notify the San Angeles Police Department. Please remain where you are for your reprimand.


This comment was edited on Jan 18, 15:39.

I think they deserved at least a few years each...not sure about 9, though. The attempted to defraud a company, and their actions cost other people their jobs (those that were laid off, due to lack of business)...

The woman had a history of this kind of stunt, and had settled w/ at least 2 fast food places in Vegas, if I remember right. Based on that, and what she did here, I don't have any pity for her at all...



--------------------------------------------------------------
GW: Nilaar Madalla, lvl 20 R/Mo / Tolyl Nor, lvl 20 E/Mo / Xylos Gath, lvl 13 W/Mo

http://www.goldfrapp.co.uk/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060118/us_nm/crime_wendys_finger_dc

"Couple get 9 years prison for Wendy's finger scam"

While I'm glad they got caught, the sentence is out of line. They should definitely have recieved some jail time, but 9 years is excessive. Particularly when you compare that to all the white collar criminals who steal hundreds of millions of dollars and get off with a slap on the wrist or get away with it entirely. Justice seems to be only for the rich in America, which is one more reason its failing.


"You gotta keep on keepin' on, brother!"
- Joe Dirt

Sorry, I've got nothin' on the Reason software. Didn't even know what it was until I google'd it.

No problems.

Seems the rain's stopped, here (Framingham)....

Dan =0)

....en það besta sem guð hefur skapa er nýr dagur - Sigur Rós, viðrar vel til loftárása
Self-plug: http://www.dankupka.com
Self-plug #2: http://dankupkamusic.blogspot.com

Well, only drawback(s) being downed trees and, in some cases, power lines as well...

Heck, that got me out of work! And thankfully, not 10 miles down the road the house still has power and the internet still works (and is cranking away on the Empires at War demo). *knocks on wood*

Sorry, I've got nothin' on the Reason software. Didn't even know what it was until I google'd it.

---
I'd never played a Civ before, and laughed when I saw the alarm in Civ IV. Now I use it.

GW: Alia Arjel Mo/Me

Well, only drawback(s) being downed trees and, in some cases, power lines as well...

Dan =0)

PS Anyone know of any sort of local hobbyist groups, or sites of the sort, for those of us who use Propellerhead Software's Reason? I do appreciate online tips and tricks and whatnot, but sometimes knowing someone (Bucky? :)) down the way is neat, too.

....en það besta sem guð hefur skapa er nýr dagur - Sigur Rós, viðrar vel til loftárása
Self-plug: http://www.dankupka.com
Self-plug #2: http://dankupkamusic.blogspot.com

That's the great thing about New England, our weather is always crazy. Right now it's 55, raining, and wind gusts of around ~50 MPH. I actually had to chase down several shrink wrapped boats.....they function as big sails and when they're sitting on a trailer there's no telling which way they'll go.

---
I'd never played a Civ before, and laughed when I saw the alarm in Civ IV. Now I use it.

GW: Alia Arjel Mo/Me

Hmm... Snakes occasionally choke on their food, but usually they're pretty good at judging the maximum size of what they can eat, right? (IANAH*). Possibly the snake thinks the hamster is too big? Do hamster's have winter coats? If they do, the situation may change come spring...

* I Am Not A Herpetologist
___________________________________________
GW: Vergil Gregorius, lvl 9 12 13 W/Ne
Britney Constantine, lvl 16 19 20 Ascended Ne/W

"People should not be afraid of their governments; governments should be afraid of their people"
This comment was edited on Jan 18, 12:32.

Better to have the hamster dance with the snake rather than have the hamster eaten by the snake?

Dan =0)


....en það besta sem guð hefur skapa er nýr dagur - Sigur Rós, viðrar vel til loftárása
Self-plug: http://www.dankupka.com
Self-plug #2: http://dankupkamusic.blogspot.com
This comment was edited on Jan 18, 12:21.

I wonder how much time that hamster has left.
That snake is in "blue phase", the period just before a shed. You can tell by the milky coloration of the eyes as the skin separates from the layer beneath.
Snakes get pretty hungry after a shed.

Today's: Gusty winds, feels like 50s or so, with some moderate rain, judging from my walk to my car. I love it (as opposed to the ice/snow bits that we've had the last few days), wish we could have more days like these.

Dan =0)

....en það besta sem guð hefur skapa er nýr dagur - Sigur Rós, viðrar vel til loftárása
Self-plug: http://www.dankupka.com
Self-plug #2: http://dankupkamusic.blogspot.com