Sen. John Blutarsky

My personal favorite is "The Battleship Lorenzen"

Yep, that's the venue. Never again. As for the walk through Camden I guess it depends where you park. I worked in Camden for 4 years and the area right around the Tweeter is heavily policed, but if you go past the coffee warehouse you're on your own. And so long as you stay on the main rods out you're fine. Everytime I've been down there the cops block the roads to PREVENT you from trying to take a shortcut through the 'Hood. I personally observed police in ski masks and MP5s break in a door about 4 blocks from there. Part of my job was to ride a van picking up kids for the program I worked at, the kid lived one block up and this unfolded right in front of us at 8:30am. Good times. Also, fixed your post a bit.

Honestly, if I had to bury a 6 year old I think I need a drink or 20.

This is what I'm talking about though. If the politicians actually supported the project and acted to shepherd it through and not just give lip service these obstacles would have been overcome. Eminent Domain is a powerful tool and this is the reason why it exists. I assure you there were plenty of ancillary agencies and environmental groups who were throwing a fit about the dredging project and who will continue to do so. The way it got resolved was the Governor of PA was named chairman of the Delaware River Port Authority (in the case, the stick in the mud). He prevented the board from meeting for a year a half which screwed up funding for other projects in New Jersey (the other stick in the mud). New Jersey eventually caved and the governor got what he wanted. That is using political power. A politician showing up and talking about how a bridge is important is not using power, it's talking. Holding up funding for Olmstead Parks in general until the bridge problem is resolved would be taking action. Threatening to use eminent domain and giving hard deadlines for neighborhood groups to agree to a plan (either agree to a plan by Day X, or we'll make one for you) is using power. Finding money in the budget for a new bird sanctuary to appease the environmental people would be taking action. Instead they all throw up their hands and say "What a mess."

I had my wisdom teeth out the day before and the knots in the stitches pulled through while I was screaming at the TV. That was the second largest conniption i ever threw and I think it was only second because I was on opiod pain meds at the time. Brett Hull was and still is the number one flip out of my life. Cops came to my dorm room. i still get pissed when I see that smug bastard on TV.

Because Michael Jackson needed the coin. Let us not forget that it's not The Beatles who are making that call, Paul McCartney sold his rights to the catalog years ago. The catalog has actually probably passed it's peak worth because now it's inching ever closer to public domain status.

Other governments at work Don't get me wrong, this is NOT an example of efficiency in governmenmt. However, it IS an example of how things can actually get accomplished by government despite daunting obstacles if they are committed to making them happen. This dredging thing has been a debate forever and New Jersey contingent of the Delaware River Port Authority has been a huuuuuuge PIA. PA kept plugging away and found a way to do an end around to avoid DRPA and still get the job done. Anybody expect Hillary or Chuck Schumer to get involved in the Peace Bridge imbroligo? Arlen Specter did that for Philly. Anybody expect the governor to go to bat for Buffalo in a very active way in order to get some long needed projects completed? Gov. Rendell did that for Philly too. Did it take way too long? Yes Will it be too expensive? Yes Will it benefit the regions economy? Yes Did it get done? Yes Apply this to the Peace Bridge. The debate has gone on even longer for that project. Any likelihood that a deal will be in place any time soon>?

I'll say it again in reference to another thread. If you are unahppy with the conclusion of this situation take it out on the DA when he comes up for re-election. His office conducted this matter and if you are displeased with the length of time it took or the manner in which it was resolved you have the ability to remove that person from his job when he is up for re-election. Actually, upon further review, you can't because he isn't seeking re-election. but you can go after the candidate he endorses if you wish. Hooray Democracy!

Except if he came out publicly like everyone seems to want and accepted all sorts of responsibility they wouldn't accept any deal, they'd take it to court and win. The way it is now there will likely be a modest settlement, which I think by all accounts is fair. Pay the medical bills, pay the legal fees, maybe a little something for the trouble and have a nice day. if he comes out before charges are even filed and says "Yeah my bad, I just knowingly committed a class A misdemeanor and admitting guilt for it now." She and the ambulance chaser, err, lawyer both shoot for the moon and likely get it.

Not to mention that, if he does that, he gets killed in civil court

Actually, no you shouldn't. That a key part of impartiality. Accidents happen every day without intent or malice aforethought.

Criminally? Small fine, no probation, maybe community service. Apparently witnesses support that he didn't know he hit her which makes it tough to throw any kind of book at her, particulrly given that she wasn't seriously hurt. NFL, I don't think he gets suspended. Again, if witness testimony (from outside the car by people without money to gain) indicates he didn't realize it happened it's more like a traffic accident than a malicious act. Traffic accidents happen every day. If people want to complain about how this took too long and that Marshawn didn't speak up my response would be that it's not right to punish someone for exercising their constitutional rights, whether you agree with it personally or not. Secondly, marshawn can't file charges against himself. If the DA's office wanted to move more quickly they could have. If they really wanted this to go fast they could have compelled the players to return to town for grand jury testimony, they certainly have the financial means and we all know they have no work commitments. They chose not to do that. Not to mention that it would seem that the BPD did some actual police work and interviewed other witnesses which can take time. Point is, #23 controls zero parrts of that.

Good call. As an aside, that sucks if you have a common name, like Smith, or James.

Order a James Hardy one. He wears #81 currently and the Bills still use the throwback jersey. Then get the name changed to suit your needs.

We've just been getting prepped for the call for new drilling. it's easier to argue against it when you aren';t feeling the pain. Magically when prices start to hurt the people the people are less concerned about the envirnment. Watch these bills sail through Congress. I'm not sayign they shouldn't, I'm just saying there was some groundwork to be laid. Consider yourselves prepped.

I had that realization about lawn seats about 4 years ago, also at a Dave show but this one was in Philly. There were a bunch of 19-20 year olds who had staked out a ridiculously huge area with blankets which isn't aproblme unto itself but they parked themselves immediately in front of the entance so they were in everyone's way. I, understanding the rules of lawn seats, cut through the blankets, not stepping on anything. The idiots basically throw themselves in my way, forcing me to step over them at which point an idiot kid with a way too tight t-shirt threatens to kick my ass. Well, I walk away because you know what. I'm not getting into a fight at a DAVE MATTHEWS concert. It was a completely inappropriate respionse for the venue. If it had been at a metal show the response would have made more sense. Dude, you're at a Dave show, calm the hell down. Seriously, they needed to understand that blanket+lawn show does not equal imminent domain and invisible force fields. That put the ball in motion but later on as the urine from the guy behind me lapped against my ankles I decided never to do the lawn again. On an aisde I have also determined that Dave Matthews is the new Jimmy Buffett. Half the people at the show don't really care about the show, it's just an excuse to get high and/or drunk. A Dave tour used to be an event because he didn't tour every year. Now it's an annual thing, go see Dave, plunk down big money, see same show as last year, go home. It's old and I'm done.

Another example of government at work in Erie County. Anybody wanna pull 30k from the Water Authority? No qualifications needed, but you hafta know (or better yet be sleeping with) a person who can influence the appointment. Anyone wanna take bets that Vacco stays on at the water authority and noone in the legislature takes the fall...ever...? It good to know that it was the Republicans "turn" to make an appointment for commissioner

Anyway, it's 5:00 and I've got Phillies tickets. I leave here as I leave every day, trying to avoid becoming a public figure...

Like i said, where in what you quoted is she not, now, a limited public figure? Before the comments she was not but her representative thrust her to the front in order to influence the outcome. Is that unclear? Seriously, did that not occur? He is her paid representative and is speaking on her behalf. While I'm on the subject, it's hard to have a convincing argument when you start every post either by calling someone a moron or stupid. It just tends to weaken the rest of your point, particularly in this case.

I'm not even going to delve into the logic where it says it's ok to have absolutley no standards for how you speak about people who are supposed to have some level of respect even while in disagreement. That's an entry for another day. However, once your lawyer, who is hired by you, makes public comment regarding your case and attempts to win public support by attempting to point out out nice and I think the word was "sweet" you are, your lawyer has made you a public figure who is open to ridicule to question just how "sweet" a person you are. If she didn't want that she have have told her lawyer to keep his mouth shut. His comments weren't necessary, nor did they advance his case.

A private citizen who became a public figure the moment her lawyer made public comment trying to elicit public sympathy. The steps to the soap box are on your left.

No, what I'm saying is that if we don't even feel the need to hold someone like the President in any kind of esteem why should a regualr person deserve any more? For many years whether you felt the President was right or wrong there some manner of decorum in which you spoke about him. That is now entirely gone. Yes, it may be in poor taste to tease this particular person regarding her weight in (presumably) her absence. However, on the scale of things in the world which show a lack of proper decorum and poor taste this ranks pretty low on the list. The fact that the modern day water cooler conversations happen in an different medium don't make them any more or less "bad" than they were before. And as with all conversations, if you don't like it, don't participate. However, attempting to legislate some sort of morality on people's thoughts is pointless and scary. A good world is a world where there are no sacred cows and everyone is open to scrutiny. What makes it better is if everyone learns to take the worls with a grain of salt and have a laugh once in awhile rather than to take such tremendous offense to everything.

sorry about that, multi-tasking

No offense gracious mod, but if you wanna change the tone, go ahead but I think you're wrong. Part of the beauty of new media outlets is that there ar eno rules and there is nobody who is off limits. Clearly this comes with a dwonside but if we can call the President of our conutry retarded without so much as a bat of an eye I think I can call a fat person fat more a minute or two and have a chuckle.

BTW, classy to rope Tim Russert into this because of honor. he's gonna be like the gold seal for morality for awhile isn't he. Apparently this thread is not "Tim Russert approved". Seriously, gimmie a break. I'm not suggesting she's any less deserving of justice. And for that matter Marshawn has taken a bit of abuse here regarding his appearance if I recall though I'm pretty sure that fuill on black jokes would get quashed. God forbid we shold have a giggle at someone else's expense. We're only supposed to chuckle at moral, honorable things.