Rachel Hoffman, NOT to be confused with the DailySkew's own Dr. Richard Hoffman
ABC and 20/20 asks "Are Pot Users Criminals?" I guess in this post-9/11 world we live in, that question seems valid to millions of people, kind of like "Are undocumented immigrants illegal?"
You see, the last time I checked drug use without a prescription was illegal.
I happened to catch this on 20/20 last night, after driving over [censored]. I thought this article was a good follow-up to your post on the ill-effects of smoking marijuana.
Here's my take: the 20/20 presentation makes it seem like a 1/4 lb of marijuana and six ecstacy pills is okay to have, and that the police were excessive in threatening her with felony charges -- even though she had been busted once and was on parole for a year!
The police chief looked extremely nervous, getting grilled on national television. On television, nervousness = incompetent liar.
Not being smooth on TV doesn't make you a liar or incompentent.
Everyone is blaming the police for sending her out on that botched sting. I agree that they come off as cops from Hazard County, BUT ... what about HER?
It's funny, when Brian Ross mentioned she was a College Graduate, he made it sound like it was the equivalent of being an Elementary School Graduate. "She's just a College Graduate."
Boy, how standards have fallen. Excuse me, but I'm not buyin'.
She was perfectly capable, as a 23-year-old ADULT, of calling her lawyer and getting legal advice. She was perfectly capable of reading whatever agreement she had signed, and seeing whether the deal to avoid jail-time was legit (assuming she even signed anything -- she's certainly smart enough to not just go with the word of a police officer from Leon County with no written documentation, as a College Graduate).
Instead, here we have another 23-year-old desperately hanging on to her teenage years, refusing to 1)grow up, 2)take responsibility for her actions, and 3)go to jail for four years.
She wanted a get out of jail free card. Well, she's not jail ... but if she had done what any sane, normal college educated person would have done, she would not have gone to some park alone to meet with two black men to buy drugs AND a gun. She would be alive today.
Excuse me, but I don't feel sorry for the purple-floppy-hat-girl. The police were jerks, but she had a choice -- she could have spoken with her lawyer. She could have read the agreement.
Estelle Getty, who played the wise-cracking and grumpy "Sophia Petrillo" in the 1980's hit television show The Golden Girls has died at 84. Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Betty White released statements expressing their admiration for her.
At one point The Golden Girls was THE most funny prime time TV show, and a must watch show every week in my household in NY. It was pretty unique for 4-older women to carry a sitcom together!
It's very possible that I wouldn't be here today without the help of Fred Warren Hinde.
I'll always remember the first day I met Fred. I was at the lowest point of my life, and sought a professional to work with me and get my head on straight- I was a confused, depressed, anti-social, hurt, and angry teenager who had just lost all of my money, status, self-respect, confidence, future, potential, and reputation.
Fred, who was a tall, big, and older man towered over me, but he greeted me with a jolly smile and chuckle, like Santa Claus, and shook my hand with the power that I had lacked.
Fred immediately asked me to forgive myself for creating the circumstances leading up to my state of pain. From the moment he laid eyes upon me he saw that I was a good person, a smart person, and an ethical and moral person, who just happened to make one wrong decision.
Here was Fred- a total stranger- who was able to see the real me, just by sensing my aura, composure, my speech patterns, and my answers. He gave me the benefit of the doubt, and I am eternally grateful.
Fred made sure to tell me that I was not his patient- that I was his client. And after a few visits, he told me I was his friend. Fred and I would have deep discussions about all aspects of life, from religion to politics to women to how he became a psychologist to his own personal history and views. We respected each other's opinions, and he treated me as his equal, even though he was by all accounts a genius in the field of psychology.
I had studied psychology in school, and Fred always hoped I would pursue it. He would go on to teach me why compassion, empathy, listening, and love are traits everyone should have. He truly believed that 99% of the people were innately good.
He took me under his wing, and we would have lunch together so many times- his treat because he said he invited me, and I wasn't working yet. Thanks to his confidence-building, however, he taught me the skills to go on an interview, and how to be genuine. I finally was able to pay for his lunch with time.
Fred got me interested in dream interpretation, and bought me a dream book. He also was very open-minded about rebirths and past lives, and gave me a book on that. Fred believed in a Force that made up the universe. And he believed in karma. When my cat required surgery, he handed me $100 without me asking for hit. He told me to pay him back one day when I could, but when I tried to give him the money years later, he wouldn't take it.
Fred Hinde loved me unconditionally, and I loved him unconditionally. We shared all our fears, desires, and thoughts, without fear of judgment. I told him I was concerned about his smoking habits since he was in his early 60's, but it was something he was used to and enjoyed, and said it was his choice. I realized that it was his choice, and I didn't nag him anymore. He had lived a full, happy, productive life, and did so much good for people.
He encouraged me and recommended me to go to technical school to study programming. That lead me to a stable job.
That was Fred- always helping and giving to people who wanted to better their lives. The sheer knowledge and philosophies Fred shared with me, like how it's acceptable to say "no" to people, and how to have empathy yet still realize that my feelings are ultimately more important than other people's is too much for a blog post. Fred was honest and firm when it came to giving constructive advise, but said it in a way that was not brutally honest. He talked about not taking things personally, and striving to see things objectively.
One day, Fred told me that I was ready to be fully integrated back into society, and that I had been so for some time; I had held a job for a year or so, and although I still had my high and lows and will always have a quirky and sarcastic personality, he knew I was fine.
Like an injured bird, he had nurtured me back to good health, and let me fly away on my own, without looking back. I had kept in touch with him perhaps once a year just to tell him that I was okay. I never told him about any drama or negative stuff going on.
I tried to get into contact him a few years ago to tell him about my fiance, but one of his office's answering machines never got to him.
This Friday night I wanted to tell him how much he positively affected my life, and for him to meet my wife, who is caring just like he. I was up all night thinking about all the things he and I talked about, and how our friendship was 100% genuine, and how he went above and beyond any professional. I used to laugh when he had told me he disliked paperwork, procedures, and board meetings.
Fred also allowed me to take charge in group settings, and gave me valuable experience being his sidekick when it came to helping people with substance abuse problems, and people who were trapped by the invisible chains we all imprison ourselves with.
Fred was the type of man who worked to make a difference in people's lives one person at a time, and he had once told me about other people whom he had helped in the past. I wanted to call Fred Monday and tell him how much I appreciated him, and how altruistic he was. Of course, I had already told him these things years ago, but I know that he would be very proud of my marriage and how stable my life has become, walking the right path.
Fred and I didn't have to maintain constant contact. I always saw him as my guardian angel, with his warm smile and gentle laugh, looking out for me. He had actually wrote several letters of recommendation for me, and put his reputation on the line. Whereas many other people talk the talk, Fred wrote his signature on more than one occasion to benefit me without the slightest second of hesitation or with lawyers involved.
His telephone number was unlisted, and since most of his career was spent pre-Internet, I had problems trying to records of him. I finally called some message service for an office listed under his name, and a woman called back.
She informed me Fred died of a heart attack around 3 years ago.
I've been crying on and off again for around 16 hours this past day, as much as I try to hold it in. Fred would know it's part of the normal grieving process. And he wouldn't want me to be sad. But I can't hold it in. I wanted to say goodbye, and tell him how much of an influence he had on my life, and the lives of all the others I have positively touch, like my friends and family. That is good karma in action, and Fred Hinde was the only father figure I had since I moved down here to Florida. It was because of him that I am here now. I know he refused to take credit for anything, but I know he would have liked to hear the words from my mouth one more time. But I can rest easily knowing that Fred was satisfied and finished with me, and that he knew I was fine.
Fred Hinde is a role model for all humankind, one of the most kindest and gentle human beings, yet someone who could be tough and aggressive to get something done. I'm sharing my experiences with him so everyone knows and strive to follow his example.
An eye for an eye makes the world blind. Only through understanding and compassion for others AND ourselves, can we begin to change the world.
If any of Fred's family or friends read this post, I would appreciate if I can contact Mary and tell her how much Fred meant to me and my family.
SMOKER? Check. DIABETIC? Check OVERWEIGHT? Check WORKAHOLIC? Check TRAVELED A LOT? Check. OVER 50 YEARS OLD? Check. PRONE TO OUTBURSTS? Check. ADDICTED TO POLITICS? Check. FRUSTRATED OVER THE STATE OF THE WORLD? Check.
Why is everyone shocked that a 58-year old man died with these symptoms? A lot of people I've spoken with ask me, "How can a man just drop dead?" Read the above, and my previous Tim Russert post to find out.
I just want to clarify that I liked Russert, and found him very enlightening, but he was clearly addicted to politics. Politics = sports...really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.
There's no denying that Tim Russert's Meet the Press and Hardball TV programs showed us how he really put politicians on the hot seat, and (generally) asked the tough questions. And there is no denying his level respect in the field of broadcast journalism, nor can one deny his influence on mainstream media news coverage. He was pretty aggressive and open about what he felt was right. Probably the best political interviewer on television.
I know I should wait a week, but I'll say it now- because I have the guts (or stupidity) to say it- since the MEDIA seems to be romanticizing Tim Russert, and expressing their SHOCK of why Tim Russert is dead.
Hos did Tim Russet die? Look, Russert was overweight, and every time I saw him on TV, he was yelling and taking everything too seriously. I'll say it; no one else will. YES, politics and world affairs are important, but guys like him are so passionate about it, that it has to hurt your health.
Yeah, Russert is a million times smarter and more professional than other broadcast journalists and talking heads, but let's face it...he is still one of them. Was he an "objective voice"? It seems as if he and Chris Mathews kinda knew the answers to the questions they asked already. Also, his critics say he stretched the truth about Saddam's WMD. He was involved with the CIA leak case.
RFK Assassination Was Sirhan Alone? Sandy Serrano Conspiracy
DailySkew contributor R.A.W. managed to get his hands on an old newspaper from 1968 that was in his late uncle's attic this weekend. Attached is a copy of a particular article that we both found very interesting.
It seems like the history books and MEDIA have sold to us that Sirhan Sirhan was not part of a greater conspiracy, and acted alone, without any accomplices. They would like us to think he was a madman who was a lone wolf.
However, Sandy Serrano not only reported her eyewitness account that night to the LAPD, but her story was carried by nationwide newspapers, and the BBC and NBC.
Sandy was a 20-year old youth volunteer for Robert Kennedy, who reported that she saw a woman and man running downstairs. Earlier in the night she had seen a young woman in a white dress with dark polka dots walking up the back stairway of the Ambassador hotel, with two men-one was wearing a white shirt and a gold sweater, the other looking dirty and out of place, short, and with bushy dark hair (Sirhan Sirhan). Shortly after hearing what she thought were backfires from a car (it was RFK getting shot), the woman and one of the men came back down the stairs, in an excited fashion, speaking loudly. Sandy said:
She practically stepped on me, and she said, "We've shot him. We've shot him." Then I said, "Who did you shoot?" And she said, "We shot Senator Kennedy." And I says, "Oh, sure." She came running down the stairs, very fast, and then the boy in the gold sweater came running down after her, and I walked down the stairs.
The police told Sandy to CHANGE HER STORY. Smells like a total COVER-UP to me and R.A.W.:
Sources said 200,000 people have already died or are dying due to the cyclone and flooding. But the figure could rise to 500,000 because of disease and hunger if Burma's army rulers continue to block outside aid. The dead bodies are causing disease.
Again, because the MEDIA is blocked from truly covering this story, the United Nations and countries of the world are just letting the death toll increase every day.
Of course, the disaster struck on Saturday when Cyclone Nargis created waves up to 20ft high, which wiped the town of Labutta – population 80,000 – off the map.
Clinton Scandal # 3781 : Pardoning Terrorists for Votes
The Point. (tm)
Here is my official DailySkew summary of a Wall Street Journal article here- Clinton Terrorism
New Yorkers may remember when a Puerto Rican nationalist terror group named FALN blew up the entrance to One Police Plaza at New Year's Eve on 1982, where many died, including police. Countless lives were tragically changed.
Years later, Hispanic leftist groups were petitioning to President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton to grant pardons for the bomb makers. The Clintons were all for it, smelling Hispanic votes.
So the paperwork was signed, and the Clintons were going to let these terrorists free. Of course, the actual criminals did not WANT to be freed. And part of a pardon is that the prisoners have to admit to their mistakes, repent, etc. The Clintons were being manipulated by a special interest group to get votes. The MEDIA got all of it, and it was a black eye for them.
Bill Clinton has made retroactive comments saying that battling terrorism was his #1 priority when he was president. Meanwhile, here he and his wife were caving into a Hispanic special interest group to create "a positive impact among strategic communities in the U.S." (the Hispanic vote for Hillary's Senate run).
Here's a list of domestic and transnational terrorism during the Clinton years of "peace and prosperity": the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1995 Tokyo subway Sarin attack, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the 1995 "Bojinka" conspiracy to hijack airplanes and crash them into buildings, the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, the 1996 Summer Olympics bombing, Osama bin Laden's 1996 and 1998 "Declarations of War" on America (he called us a "paper tiger"- and he was right), the 1998 East African embassy bombings, the 2000 USS Sullivans bombing attempt, the 2000 USS Cole bombing, and the 2000 Millennium bombing plot.
I wonder what sort of things the Clintons are planning to hijack the nomination from Obama, or what they have planned once they are in control of U.S. policy again.
MEDIA Swiped Joker Killed Heath Ledger from DailySkew
I had to laugh this morning when I read the NY Daily News headline:
Jack Nicholson warned Heath Ledger on 'Joker' role
I did a spoof article yesterday about it just to mess with the comic book geeks that were writing comments. I even put in the article that it was an "ambiguous" statement from Nicholson. He could have been referring to drug use or being in Hollywood, or ANYTHING, for that matter. (Let's face it- Jack Nicholson is always smashed, tipsy, or just plain stoned, so who knows if he even remembers what he meant.)
Heck, I am no journalist, so I had to laugh out loud when I saw an actual newspaper spin the same angle that the Daily Skew did.
The difference, of course, is that a daily newspaper with a circulation and Internet viewership in the millions ought to have more journalistic integrity.
Once again the DailySkew is the place to be read posts about current trends, and trying to predict the MEDIA's ploys to capitalize on situations.
From: Dr. Hoffman To: DailySkew.com Re: Heath Ledger
I understand that the death of Heath Ledger has stirred up some controversy on your site. I thought I'd apply my skills to the problem, and assist in clearing up any misinterpretation of the facts. Here are some revealing quotes from a thisislondon.co.uk article, with my expert comments in brackets. You be the judge:
In Perth, his home town, Ledger's father Kim read out a statement in which he insisted the death was an accident.
Surrounded by his ex-wife Sally and their sobbing daughter Kate, he said: "We confirm the very tragic, untimely and accidental passing of our dearly loved son, brother and doting father of Matilda."
He went on to describe his son as "a down-to-earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving and selfless individual who was extremely inspirational to many." Kim continued: "Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life that few had the pleasure of truly knowing him."
[Apparently, he was an Enneagram type four or six.]
"I last spoke to him the night before he died. He said he could not see me that night but really wanted to meet me the next day. He made me promise that I would call him in the morning and wake him up. I tried. Little did I know that his soul had already left his body," Film director Shekhar Kapur said.
He added: "He was one of the most gentle, most honest, most caring, and most compassionate persons I had met."
[Mr. Ledger did not own an alarm clock, and he clearly did not want to sleep late that day.]
There are claims the strain of playing the Joker in the new Batman film may have proved too much for the star – in a recent interview, he told how the role of a "murderous psychopath" had left him "sleepless and exhausted". He is also said to have recently suffered pneumonia.
[Although I'm sure some of the comic book fans you quoted would feel vindicated by this, I do not believe playing the Joker killed him. Consider, he was in the middle of filming another project at the time of his death -- he was past the role.
A low immune system and sleeplessness can seriously affect one's mental state and thought processes.]
Ledger's ex-fiancée Michelle Williams and their two year old daughter Matilda flew from a film set in Sweden to their home in Brooklyn following tragedy.
"You can't begin to imagine the state she's in," an executive on the film told the Mail Online.
Her father Larry Williams said: "It has just broken everybody's heart in my family. I think Tennyson got it right in the poem he described someone as having died at a young age but burning the candles at both ends. And oh what a beautiful flame he made. That was Heath."
He said Ledger was devoted to the couple's daughter.
"The saddest thing is his daughter whom he just loved dearly. The Tennyson poem is just so true. His years were few but he left a beautiful legacy."
[I am sure that Ms. Williams is distraught. I am sure that some will blame her for not being more supportive of Heath, and standing by her man.
I do not agree that she should be blamed for anything.
Heath Ledger was responsible for his own actions, as we are all individually responsible for what we do. He chose not to seek proper psychiatric treatment. He chose to remain despondent. He chose to allow a downward spiral to occur without fighting it.
As a professional who has counseled thousands of people, I have seen the power of the will ... ordinary people overcoming the same personal adversity (divorce) that Heath encountered, with professional help and medication. Unlike those people, Heath had access to the best doctors and best treatments the world has to offer. It was purely his decision to not seek that help.]
"Heath was shattered by his split from Michelle," the source told Mail Online, adding: "He became a recluse. He barely slept he was dealing with terrible mood swings."
Ledger spent the past several months mourning the loss of his relationship with Williams and friends say he had become an introvert, who was headed in a downward spiral.
"Heath totally wanted to be on his own these past few months since he and Michelle split in September," says a source. "She was very much in love with him, but the fact he continued to dabble in drugs kept their relationship from being one she could rely on.
"Heath was shattered by his split from Michelle," the source told Mail Online, adding: "He became a recluse. He barely slept he was dealing with terrible mood swings."
Ledger spent the past several months mourning the loss of his relationship with Williams and friends say he had become an introvert, who was headed in a downward spiral.
"Heath totally wanted to be on his own these past few months since he and Michelle split in September," says a source. "She was very much in love with him, but the fact he continued to dabble in drugs kept their relationship from being one she could rely on.
"Now poor little Matty is left without a father, and Heath has died a senseless death.
"He had so much to live for and he was so talented. He was working on a new film, and he had everything in life to live for. Now, tragically, he has thrown it all away at just 28."
[Unlike the Virginia Tech killing, where this website suggested that no one reached out to the shooter ... there is no question in my mind that Ledger was talking to people, while working on set and off. While he may have become an "Introvert," he still had interaction with the outside world -- that was the nature of his work.
It is possible that he suffered from a kind of tragic hubris -- having everything except that which he wanted the most -- Michelle, more privacy ... and perhaps the ability to kick his drug habit instantaneously.
It is clear that Ledger needed to take time off from filming and stay in a rehabilitation facility until he was past the withdrawal symptoms accompanied by an addiction to heroin. It was his choice to continue working and not seek help.]
"And he's been battling some pretty serious demons. It's just so incredible that it was allowed to gone on unchecked for so long."
Ledger's former fiancée Williams failed to talk sense into her now deceased former partner.
"She cared for him deeply but his life was unmanageable," said the source. "As much as she wanted to stay together, he was a different person these past couple of years.
"The tragic reality was that he lost his grip on life."
As for Ledger's trip to rehab, the source said: "It was during his filming of The Dark Knight. Heath's addiction was really getting in the way of his ability to act. He went to rehab but left fairly quickly, within a number of days.
"Tragically, he never really faced up to his addictions. Had he done so, he would be alive today."
In an interview last November, Ledger spoke of the joy of fatherhood; "Having a child changes every aspect of your life – for the better, of course. The sacrifices are large, but what you get in return is even bigger than the sacrifices you make.
"I feel, in a sense, ready to die because you are living on in your child."
[While being a parent is a source of great joy and pride ... and while one can see the circle of life ... one can experience how their parents felt when they were children, etc., that does not mean one should feel ready to die because your lineage will be carried on! Yes, your child will carry forth a part of you, but it helps if you raise them to adulthood first!
At any rate, it is not clear whether Mr. Ledger actually committed suicide or not. For all we know, he took an extra sleeping pill or two, hoping to get a good night's sleep. For all we know, when he finally fell asleep, his body shut down due to the strain.
I am certain that the mix of illegal drug use and prescription drugs did not help his health at all.
I do think this is a real shame, and I am sad to see it. I just hope others will learn from this ... but I highly doubt it. Every so often, we have examples of celebrities dying due to accidental or purposeful overdoses ... no one ever seems to get the message that once you die, that's it! It's not a joke, or a video game -- it's final. There is no turning back.]
"Maybe he took the role too seriously, you know? Maybe he took the Joker thing to heart. Maybe he got into the role too much ... maybe the Joker in him had to KILL Heath Ledger. Just a thought."
What about when Heath said he was"stressed out a little too much" and had trouble sleeping while portraying the Joker, a "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy."
There is no denying that anyone who underestimates the Joker's legacy or character is bound to pay. Just ask Alexander Luthor at the end of INFINITE CRISIS:
I watched one of my favorite VCR tapes with my family yesterday: Pinstripe Dynasty, which featured the 1996 New York Yankees championship year.
Of course, one key moment of the season was when Jim Leyritz hit the go-ahead homerun in Game 4's 8th inning of the World Series against the Atlanta Braves. The Yanks were trailing 6-0 in that game, after Yanks' starting pitcher Kenny Rogers got knocked out early.
Talk about a lifestyle that just catches up with you. After earning around $11,000,000 in his career, he has around $600,000 left, and is facing a prison sentence for DUI manslaughter here in sunny Fort Liquordale.
The MEDIA never reported what went on behind the scenes:
And your co-workers and friends always like to say that we shouldn't judge their lifestyles. They like to believe that their reckless actions featuring drugs, alcohol, and sex with numerous partners don't have any consequences. They think all of those things happen in the vacuum called "Friday and Saturday night". They are wrong, and always will be wrong.
Accidents happen, there is no question about that. But getting behind a wheel of a car stoned or intoxicated is dangerous to other people who are not involved in your crazy life.
Jimmy Leyritz, let's face facts, you were a backup player and pinch hitter for your entire career, even though you wanted to be starter. You had a couple of lucky high-profile hits. But you were a trouble-maker for all of your 11 years, squandered away your fortune, used performance enhancing drugs (HGH or steroids) and never admitted it until AFTER you retired, openly lashed into your former teammates and organization at any opportunity you got, and effectively ended your own life by taking the life of a fellow driver on the road.
One of the reasons why I was always stand-offish regarding Michael Moore's theories is the way he totally disrespected Charlton Heston at his own home in Moore's documentary "Bowling for Columbine". Moore thinks he "won" this "debate" with Heston, but he really didn't.
I agree with our constitutional right to bear arms. And it may sound like a right-wing slogan, but guns DON'T kill people, people kill people. Gun control is another unwinnable war, like the war on drugs, and the war on terrorism. It is so idealistic! Criminals will always get their hands on them. It's as simple as that.
We have the freedom to be responsible or irresponsible, that's what makes democracy so great. If Joe Blow puts a loaded gun in his closet, and his little kid finds it- Joe Blow needs to held accountable. Period.
Quite frankly, this interview is a great reason why Moore comes off as a sniveling, deceptive pig. Heston is just being honest here. He comes from a different era.
2007 Skew Review Damian Hospital 12-31-2007 Going into 2007, Tony Vahl and I had high expectations that the Year of the Pig would be a year of chaos and unpredictability. Sure enough, we were correct. Below is a list of some events from 2007:
Politics
The battle for Presidential nomination started at the earliest point ever. Candidates have been using the Internet more than ever to spread their message, and live debates gave YouTube all the recognition and validity it needed to be an instant way to reach out to the people.
New Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sure set expectations high that the Democrats would put this nation back on course after taking over Congress.
Senator Larry Craig got busted in a men's restroom, and denied making homosexual advances to an undercover policeman. Former male prostitutes or other men Larry came onto in the past have since come out, to verify that he is gay, but Larry stands firm that it was all a misunderstanding.
President George W. Bush: his popularity is the lowest for any president, and many senior advisers resigned from his administration. I will not waste anymore space talking about all the things GW and his cronies did this year.
Crime
Shootings grabbed headlines- from Virgina Tech to children's school to a mall. In all cases, the Internet played a key as a forum for the killers' rants. And the MEDIA had a field day with it.
The MEDIA still focused and gave way too much attention to missing persons and alleged kidnappings for certain families. The MEDIA has continued to pick-and-choose who gets the coverage. MEANWHILE, thousands of others never get MEDIA attention because they are not marketable enough.
Craigslist and MySpace's murder, rape, kidnapping, and prostitution rates have increased.
Global
China has been accidentally poisoning and exporting toys and dog food to the United States.
China has been testing long-range missiles, and space weapons.
China continues to execute government officials and dissenters.
The military regime in Myanmar severely beat and arrested protesters, many of them monks. The world shrugs.
The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, continued to have a pissing contest with the West over its right to harness and produce nuclear energy. He had threated to destroy Israel several times, but always denies it when speaking to Western reporters. His public Iranian speeches always contain his threats that he would destroy the West, but he seems to change his tune when talking to the U.N.
An earthquake in Japan released 300 gallons of radioactive water into the sea. Can Godzilla be far behind, now?
Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize and two Oscars for spreading the word about the dangers of Global Warming.
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf was forced to step down as military leader, but was sworn in as a civilian president. He has been losing control all year.
The death tolls and unrest due to the war in Iraq has increased.
Bombings in Iraq and Israel are commonplace.
Boris Yelstin passed away.
So did Jerry Falwell, Lady Bird Johnson, Tammy Faye Bakker, Ingmar Bergmann, Tom Synder, Bill Walsh, Hank Bauer, Joel Siegel, Clete Boyer, Phil Rizzuto, Merv Griffin, Leona Helmsley, Richard Jewell, Pavarotti, Jane Wyman, Norman Mailer, Evel Knievel, and millions more.
War in Somalia: And still going...
Hong Kong continued to create laws to be environmentally-friendly, now that it is a economic superpower.
Microsoft released Vista and became under fire for forcing this operating system on all new Dells and other computers instead of Windows XP or a "blank" system.
Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez was granted the power to rule by decree, publicly attacked capitalism and democracy, allied with Cuba and Iran, and unsuccessfully tried to rewrite the constitution.
Russian leader Vladamir Putin has been headed back to his KGB roots...
Dubai is the in-vogue place to invest in real estate and visit- just don't commit any crimes there...or get raped.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Bhutto was assassinated.
Pop Culture
Harry Potter is still hot.
Pirates of the Caribbean is a FRANCHISE.
Ana Nicole Smith...why did her death get so much MEDIA attention?
American Idol took a major hit in ratings and relevancy. So did most TV shows.
The music recording industry has turned to the Internet to try and make profits, after experiencing record lows in CD sales.
Network television has been offering free TV shows online for the same reasons.
Spider-Man 3 grossed a world-wide total of $890,871,626, yet other Marvel movies (Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Surfer) weren't as hot.
Michael Moore's Sicko opened a lot of eyes about the U.S. healthcare system.
The Transformers live action movie made over $300,000,000 in the U.S. TMNT wasn't even close.
Don Imus was fired for making racial jokes on air.
He eventually got a new show.
Bob Barker retired from the Price is Right. Was replaced by Drew Carey.
Led Zeppelin reunited.
Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen still running strong.
Britney Spears is officially recognized by the MEDIA as being done.
Comic Books
Marvel
Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) is the new Captain America, after Steve Rogers was assassinated by Crossbones, who was hired by the Red Skull.
With the world knowing that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, the Kingpin put a hit on Aunt May. With Aunt May dying, Peter made a deal with the Devil (Mephisto) to save her life. The deal: Peter's marriage and memories of love for Mary Jane Watson would be erased from continuity. Mary Jane also makes a deal with the Devil to erase Spider-Man from ever removing his mask in public. So: everything is back to status quo. Harry Osborn (Green Goblin) is also back in this new Marvel time-line, since he would have never died if Peter and Marry got married.
Tony Stark (Iron Man), who, for all intents and purposes, had been portrayed as a villain (George Bush style) in 2006, is now in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D., and has a movie coming out next year.
DC
DC has continued to fill in details about it's New Earth and New Multiverse. It is NOT the same as the old multiverse, and many fans are still confused, complain..but still buy the comics.
The Anti-Monitor has returned, and former Green Lantern Kyle Raynor is Parallax.
Professional Wrestling
John Cena was given a huge WWE Champion's push for the most of the year, defeating all comers, but was sidelined with an injury. Women and kids love him; guys hate him.
Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker are still Main Eventers.
A week after Vince McMahon faked his own death for ratings, Chris Benoit killed his wife Nancy (former valet) and son, before committing suicide. This was the #1 pro wrestling story of the year.
Other deaths: Bam Bam Bigelow, Bad News Brown, Ernie Ladd, Mike Awesome, Arnold Skaaland, John Cronus, and more....
Hulk Hogan and his wife Linda filed for "divorce" after their son Nick got involved in a DUI, seriously injuring his friend, whose parents are suing the Hogans.
Chris Jericho returned, after publishing his awesome autobiography.
Bret Hart published his tell-all autobiography in Canada.
The growing popularity of Mixed Martial Arts (UFC, K-1) is threatening WWE's grip on the Pay-Per-View market and young male demographic.
United States
A bridge collapsed during rush hour in a major city, and it was revealed that MOST of the nation's infrastructure is POOR and ready to crumble.
Race relations are still easily stirred in any case where the police uses force... or if any comedian makes a joke.
Keywords: Wildfire, Malibu, rich folk, MEDIA
$1.2 TRILLION dollars worth of property value decreased, and the number of home foreclosures DOUBLED from last year.
Terrorist plots were prevented (thankfully).
The Writer's Guild goes on strike. TV shows goes on hiatus. Jay Leno can't write his own material. Can we please get hired?
Sports
Barry Bonds made history by breaking the all-time homerun record, and only the San Fransisco fans and a certain blog cared.
Bonds was indicted on perjury.
Football quarterback Michael Vick originally denied any wrongdoing in running a barbaric dog fighting venture, but finally plead guilty. He also killed dogs that didn't fight well.
Former Marlins closer U. Urbina was sentenced to 14 years in prison for murder in his home country.
Tiger Woods won the PGA Championship.
An NBA referee was caught betting on games.
Marian Jones pleaded guilty to steroid use after denying it.
The New York Mets had their biggest collapse.
Yankees relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain became an overnight sensation, although flying ants ruined his moment.
Roger Clemens' return was overhyped, and didn't translate into a ring.
A-Rod was MVP.
Red Sox win! Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Red Sox win the 2007 World Series over the Colorado Rockies.
The Boss, George Steinbrenner, was revealed to be a non-entity. His son Hank took over, and proceeded to pay hardball with the team.
Yankees manager Joe Torre quit, followed by bench coach Don Mattingly. Joe Giraldi was named new manager.
The Mitchell Report reaffirmed that we live in a Grim Earth, as 88 players were named. Roger Clemens' legacy is forever tainted.
The New England Patriots finished 16-0.
Former Yankees World Champion Jim Leyritz killed a woman while DUI.
Tashman Technologies (tm), a fictional universe
After The Loyalist finally retired, he had achieved a dream...and then lived through a nightmare.
The Lone Teleporter was killed, brought back for a one-shot cameo, and forgotten about.
The Lobo Bros. disappeared.
The Latino World Order invaded Tashman's office, had a coup, and demanded "Fair Play and Fair Pay". They got it.
Tashman had its slowest year, and tensions were high, as backstabbing and cliques were solidified.
Luthor lost everything.
Third shift stopped for a while after V. quit when work was slow, and Raw went to 2nd shift.
C.E.O. and Overmind had a major, final, career-threatening blowout in January, but things cooled off (mostly) for the rest of the year.
Tashman's main rival folded.
Captain Fascist, Arse, Character Assassin, and Gazelle are still running strong in another company.
The Fossil and The Stork are looking for work. So's J.A.P.
Mrs. Overmind celebrated her one-year Tashman anniversary.
Overmind somehow survived nine.
Phive was fired.
Christmas party was BYOB.
Feel free to add your 2007 events in comments! And your predictions for 2008- The Year of the Rat.
Former Yankees World Champion Jim Leyritz (backup catcher) killed Fredia Ann Veitch, who was an ordinary citizen like you and I, working night shift. He was DUI, and he drove his car fast and blew threw a red light down here in Broward County (she was driving home from Fort Lauderdale to Plantation.)
I've followed Leyritz's career since he came up in 1990. I thought he was a great hitting catcher, pinch-hitter, and part-time designated hitter for the Yanks. But according to many baseball history books and autobiograpies I have read, he dubbed himself "King" and wanted to be a full-time player. Eventually, managers Buck Showalter and later Joe Torre grew to dislike Jim.
Jim is highly charismatic, cocky, arrogant, and a joker. Quite honestyly, if he was an African-American player, he would have been labeled a "clubhouse cancer" in 1990. Instead, the MEDIA always referred to him as "clutch", a "New York Icon", and "scrappy". Nice double-standard. The MEDIA and announcers never told us the bad things about "The King", so fans such as myself and my family couldn't help but like him, and awe at his sheer "determination". After Jim finally retired after making a few failed comebacks (and bouncing from team to team) he got an announcing gig for MLB.com, and still continued to give quotes to radio shows and newspapers to run is mouth off. See, Jim was bitter and was opinionated about a lot of things. He'd like to say things against his former teammates and managers.
He also said he admitting taking HGH or steroids during his great 1995/1996 clutch pinch-hitting campaigns, in which he saved the Yankees' post-season dreams. He also admitted being drunk a lot while playing. Unfortunately, his wild baseball antics spilled over into real life. Frieda Ann Veitch was a mother of two, just trying to make ends meat, by working in a steakhouse in Broward County. Her friends told her to switch her shift or to get another job; she was all set to switch- starting in the new year. So here is Frieda, driving home after a rough week, having never achieved the fame and fortune as Jimmy "The King" Leyritz. She goes through the green light, like you're supposed to, but here comes Jim blasting through the red light.
It's a shame that there are questions about if Jim will serve any prison time. I guess because he is a millionaire he can afford an attorney-at-law who will somehow get his client off with probation or timed served, even though he is guilty as sin.
For those of you who do not know about Broward County, Florida- it is one of the worst places to drive in the world. People like Jim Leyritz have taken over the roads and highways. That's why I'm at home bloggin', folks.
Vince McMahon may claim that the number of professional wrestling deaths is not significantly higher than any other profession (it seems like a dozen or more wrestlers die young every year). I don't have the stats, so I'll just relate my own personal experience. I am rare in that I've been at the same office since late 1998. I've worked with 600 people (yeah, high turnover, huh?).
Anyway, I experienced the death of 2 workers during that time-span. That is the extreme opposite of WWE's worker death-rate.
I'd like to take this time to give a feeble Internet tribute to those two workers. Maybe one day people will search for their names and come to this blog posting:
Keith Taylor died in 1999 during a DUI accident on the way to Orlando with his friends during the weekend. I don't know who was responsible or what the situation was, as all the info was 3rd hand by the time I heard it.
My experiences with Keith were limited. He was a 2nd shift scanner operator, and seemed like an easy-going, yet somewhat competitive guy. He was a young stylish African-American. He liked to "diss" people in a joking way. He reminded me of some of my Jamaican classmates in school- he had a great sense of "cool", and liked rap, hip-hop, football, basketball, and girls. I was not close to him at all, but I had no issues turning over to him at shift change.
I was shocked when I heard the news. Our boss sent a basket to the funeral. I vowed never to make unnecessary long trips on the highway, something to this day I have not violated, and to continue to avoid alcohol.
Around a year later, my friend at the time. who shall be called "R-", and I saw some scanning logs with the initials "K.T". "R-" had assumed I had no idea who he was, and that his death was forgotten. "R-" was a cynical bastard. He implied that it was because he was black (like "R-"). I quickly told him "Keith Taylor" and we shared some memories.
The second death was Victor Lefton. Vic was the epitome of having a"love-hate" relationship. Victor was once a very influential middle-manager at our office. He was a Jewish senior-citizen. On one hand, he was seen as tough, grouchy, confrontational, mean, rude, insulting, judgmental, aggressive, egocentric, and manipulative. He was responsible for many firings (some unjustly) and would push some workers to tears or to the brink of quitting or even hitting him, even though he was old and frail.
That being said- that being said- in my immaturity I took Vic's verbal threats too personal. He came from a bygone era where people actually expressed what they felt, without fear of political correctness. Also, his take charge, take no prisoner attitude is sorely missed at my office. Vic actually was one of the first people to take me under his wing when I was in his area. We bonded a few times, and he probably was very antagonistic towards me since I was a youngster who was very quickly working my way up the ranks. That's just natural.
He also was very influential to me in that he would give me books he finished reading. One of them happened to be The Onion, which greatly inspired the DailySkew's satire angle, and set forth into motion so much, including this blog.
During Vic's peak, he was a powerful middle-management force, and I suspect he would not approve of what is happening right now in his area. After Vic's peak, his memory and skills began to decline severely, and his was replaced. He was actually tame when he was reassigned to a non-supervisory role. It was a shame to see him a shadow of his former self, but even still many people his age couldn't work a computer. After he was "phased out" by upper management, his reign as kingpin of his department was forgotten, which was amazing to me, since his run on top was huge and memorable.
Ultimately, Vic got sick and was hospitalized. If my memory serves me well, Vic's wife called, and an announcement was made, and our boss sent condolences to the funeral home. And that was it. Those that remembered him, remember when he was in charge, and that's a good thing.
The bottom line is that when everything was said and done, history shows that Victor Lefton was a great asset to the company, with an old-school perfectionist work-ethic (He would say, "My father never believed in 'good enough'. He believed in doing something the best it could be" and "Too many Indian chiefs, not enough Indians here". He was also an interesting conversationalist- love him or hate him. The truth is the people he wound up firing made better lives for themselves anyway.
Vladimir Putin...the man pulling the strings. 
Estelle Getty, who played the wise-cracking and grumpy "Sophia Petrillo" in the 1980's hit television show The Golden Girls has died at 84. Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Betty White released statements expressing their admiration for her.
SMOKER? Check.
Sources said 200,000 people have already died or are dying due to the cyclone and flooding. But the figure could rise to 500,000 because of disease and hunger if Burma's army rulers continue to block outside aid. The dead bodies are causing disease.
The Point. (tm)
There is no denying that anyone who underestimates the Joker's legacy or character is bound to pay. Just ask Alexander Luthor at the end of INFINITE CRISIS:
And your co-workers and friends always like to say that we shouldn't judge their lifestyles.
Jimmy Leyritz, let's face facts, you were a backup player and pinch hitter for your entire career, even though you wanted to be starter. You had a couple of lucky high-profile hits. But you were a trouble-maker for all of your 11 years, squandered away your fortune, used performance enhancing drugs (HGH or steroids) and never admitted it until AFTER you retired, openly lashed into your former teammates and organization at any opportunity you got, and effectively ended your own life by taking the life of a fellow driver on the road.
I've followed Leyritz's career since he came up in 1990. I thought he was a great hitting catcher, pinch-hitter, and part-time designated hitter for the Yanks. But according to many baseball history books and autobiograpies I have read, he dubbed himself "King" and wanted to be a full-time player. Eventually, managers Buck Showalter and later Joe Torre grew to dislike Jim.
Unfortunately, his wild baseball antics spilled over into real life. Frieda Ann Veitch was a mother of two, just trying to make ends meat, by working in a steakhouse in Broward County. Her friends told her to switch her shift or to get another job; she was all set to switch- starting in the new year. So here is Frieda, driving home after a rough week, having never achieved the fame and fortune as Jimmy "The King" Leyritz. She goes through the green light, like you're supposed to, but here comes Jim blasting through the red light.
