DAILY RFT, AUGUST 7, 2009
FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY
Was it all worth it?: Doug Hartmann will spend a total of 730 days in jail ["St. Louis Rehabber Sentenced to Prison, Ordered to Repay Millions for Ponzi Scam," Chad Garrison]. He is to pay restitution of $34 million, which amounts to Hartmann getting $46,575 of stolen money for each day of jail time. What do you think? One day of jail for $46,575 in profit? Is it worth it? I think a lot of people would think so.
Anonymous, via the Internet
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FEATURE, AUGUST 6, 2009 CHILD'S DEATH NO CONSPIRACY
There was nothing to gain: As a parent, I cannot imagine a mother killing her child ["Münchausen, She Wrote," Kristen Hinman]. As a realist, I know that it does happen. The argument is incredibly weak that the hospital personnel conspired to frame her simply to avoid a lawsuit. Look at the facts. Both children had identical symptoms. One died, the other child recovered after their mother was banned from the room. The child who died was poisoned with a medication prescribed for hypertension, unless you think the medical examiner was also part of the conspiracy. If he was, what would he have to gain? Nothing, but he'd have a lot to lose by supporting a cover-up that could unravel. The children's mother just happened to be prescribed the same hypertension medication that her children were poisoned with?
There is a reason, of course, why she didn't testify. She would have to deny that she had tried to get her daughter to drink the tainted Sprite. Then her husband would have to testify that she had denied being on medication when she in fact was. That would be enough right there to destroy her credibility. If I were her lawyer, I wouldn't put her on the stand, either.
Steve Pavey, Denver, via the Internet
DAILY RFT, AUGUST 5, 2009
SILLY DUI
And so pointless: Come on, that's just taking it too far ["Another Lawn Mower DUI; Illinois Drunk Drives Cub Cadet to Store for Milwaukee's Best," Chad Garrison]. The purpose of a DUI is to protect others from the driver. A lawn mower going 5 mph shouldn't even be in the ballpark of a DUI. But I guess DUI is big business. We need honest judges on the bench — that we do.
Las Vegas DUI attorney, via the Internet
GUT CHECK, JULY 30, 2009
FINAL SCREAM
Dive will be sorely missed: Say what you want about the so-called south-side dives like Screamers, but you'll not find the friendships that can be formed at the so-called higher-end places that you will at the local neighborhood places ["The Dive Bomber: Going Down Screaming," Robin Wheeler]. The people you get to know at places like these will give you the shirt off their backs if you are in need. Try and find that sort of thing at the fancier places. The fancier places are happy enough to have you around as long as you are spending money, but when you really need friends you'll only find them in places like Screamers. Places like this are one of the few things I miss about moving out of the city.
Harry, via the Internet
