Allentown Moving Forward (well, most of us)

Recently, Allentown residents received a really cool newsletter in the mail from Mayor Pawlowski. It's called Allentown Alive: a quarterly update of what is happening in our city. At first glance, we thought it was maybe reelection campaign propaganda (not that there's anything wrong w/ that) but it's not. This newsletter is loaded with information about the Mayor's existing plans and programs, and boy, is our Mayor Pawlowski ambitious and hard-working or what? Wow!

A quick and ongoing way to get the latest scoop on Mayor Pawlowski is to follow Ed on Twitter. It's really interesting to see all that Mayor Ed is doing.

But sadly, our "newspaper" rarely reports on Mayor Pawlowski's positive efforts anymore. Lately, because they are so desperate for readers, and to pander to our area's lunatic fringe NeoCons, The Morning Call has lapdog cub reporter Jarrett Renshaw "aping" the loony Pawlowski bashing he reads at the local NeoCon blogs. The "newspaper" (which supports Pawlowski) knows its two-faced charade won't make even the slightest dent in Mayor Pawlowski's cruise to reelection in November, but shameless whores that they are, they'll gladly swap an "Anti-Pawlowski" (wink wink) perception for a few more readers. Very clever, these Morning Callers, albeit totally bankrupt in the integrity and credibility departments. We doubt cubby Jarrett Renshaw is in on the joke. Ditto the MC subscription-renewing NeoCons.

On a related subject, calling all disgruntled NeoCons!
Don't miss KvetchFest, organized by South Whitehall Township's whining expert on all things Allentown, Mike "3%" Molovinsky who "has a plan" (wink wink) to SAVE OUR SITY!

Go Home and Shut Up

Former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, Republican Lawrence Wilkerson  was on the Rachel Maddow Show Tuesday night and had some choice words of wisdom for our nation's creep of an ex-veep, Dick Cheney. 

Don't miss Wilkerson's poetry on

YouTube ... 

Let's face it, Dick Cheney is pathetic. He should be in jail for war crimes and more people, including Republicans, should tell the liar Cheney (in Wilkerson's words) to "go home and shut up."

Wilkerson says that Cheney puts out "idiocy of the first order." We agree. Here's an example: Cheney said that he'd "rather have Rush Limbaugh in the GOP than Colin Powell." I see. So a drug addicted, racist, sexist, gas bag makes for a good leader? I guess those characteristics are fitting, considering the sorry state of the GOP. 

Allowing Dick Cheney's sore loser buttinsky fear mongering enables it to fester and flower. Giving him a forum in the media is wrong and bad for America. On a local level, it's akin to the way people allow the hate mongering at The Morning Call Forum and the Nazi "enforcers" of our local blogosphere to fester and flower. 

But I must admit, it is kinda fun watching the former U.S. veep self-destruct ... 

same way it's been fun watching Morning Call veep Glenn Kranzley self-destruct (Kranzley gets the boot in 19 days). 

Like Cheney, Kranzley puts out "idiocy of the first order."  

Both veeps should go home and shut up. 

Go Home and Shut Up

Former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, Republican Lawrence Wilkerson  was on the Rachel Maddow Show Tuesday night and had some choice words of wisdom for our nation's creep of an ex-veep, Dick Cheney. 

Don't miss Wilkerson's poetry on

YouTube ... 

Let's face it, Dick Cheney is pathetic. He should be in jail for war crimes and more people, including Republicans, should tell the liar Cheney (in Wilkerson's words) to "go home and shut up."

Wilkerson says that Cheney puts out "idiocy of the first order." We agree. Here's an example: Cheney said that he'd "rather have Rush Limbaugh in the GOP than Colin Powell." I see. So a drug addicted, racist, sexist, gas bag makes for a good leader? I guess those characteristics are fitting, considering the sorry state of the GOP. 

Allowing Dick Cheney's sore loser buttinsky fear mongering enables it to fester and flower. Giving him a forum in the media is wrong and bad for America. On a local level, it's akin to the way people allow the hate mongering at The Morning Call Forum and the Nazi "enforcers" of our local blogosphere to fester and flower. 

But I must admit, it is kinda fun watching the former U.S. veep self-destruct ... 

same way it's been fun watching Morning Call veep Glenn Kranzley self-destruct (Kranzley gets the boot in 19 days). 

Like Cheney, Kranzley puts out "idiocy of the first order."  

Both veeps should go home and shut up. 

Newspapers as Nonprofits

Our founding fathers established a press system because they realized the necessity to inform all citizens. It was public policy. The news as a public good. They knew that an informed citizenry was essential to democracy.

Now, due to the failing economy, the internet, media consolidation ( i.e. big corporate takeovers) and a failing business model based on circulation and ad revenue, these are dark times for the venerable printed newspaper. And a tragedy for democracy.

I read this the other day: WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government could provide tax breaks for newspapers or allow them to operate as nonprofits to help the struggling business survive, Sen. John Kerry said Wednesday.

Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland is proposing legislation (The Newspaper Revitalization Act)

http://cardin.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=310392 which would allow newspapers to restructure as nonprofits. The purpose of this legislation is to save local papers and community papers, not the big media conglomerates. Nonprofit status would allow for advertising and subscriptions to be tax exempt. The newspaper would subsist on tax deductible donations and contributions. As a nonprofit, the newspaper would not be allowed to make political endorsements. They would be allowed to operate for educational purposes, like NPR or PBS.

This sounds good to me, because it would allow for many perspectives and different points of view. Media consolidation has suppressed the diverse voices in our community. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_of_media_ownership

And this would be one way to help local and community newspapers to stay afloat, hopefully preserving some investigative journalism.

Newspapers as Nonprofits

Our founding fathers established a press system because they realized the necessity to inform all citizens. It was public policy. The news as a public good. They knew that an informed citizenry was essential to democracy.

Now, due to the failing economy, the internet, media consolidation ( i.e. big corporate takeovers) and a failing business model based on circulation and ad revenue, these are dark times for the venerable printed newspaper. And a tragedy for democracy.

I read this the other day: WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. government could provide tax breaks for newspapers or allow them to operate as nonprofits to help the struggling business survive, Sen. John Kerry said Wednesday.

Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland is proposing legislation (The Newspaper Revitalization Act)

http://cardin.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=310392 which would allow newspapers to restructure as nonprofits. The purpose of this legislation is to save local papers and community papers, not the big media conglomerates. Nonprofit status would allow for advertising and subscriptions to be tax exempt. The newspaper would subsist on tax deductible donations and contributions. As a nonprofit, the newspaper would not be allowed to make political endorsements. They would be allowed to operate for educational purposes, like NPR or PBS.

This sounds good to me, because it would allow for many perspectives and different points of view. Media consolidation has suppressed the diverse voices in our community. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_of_media_ownership

And this would be one way to help local and community newspapers to stay afloat, hopefully preserving some investigative journalism.

Replace Justice Souter With a Liberal Woman

David Souter, a left-leaning Supreme Court Justice, will be retiring, so it would make sense for Obama to appoint another liberal judge. Appointing a smart, liberal woman would make the most sense. In fact, the more liberal the better, to counter-balance Justices Thomas, Roberts, Alito, and Scalia who are all hard righties.

It would be normal to have 4 0r 5 women judges serving on the US Supreme Court. Women make up the majority of our population, a majority of the electorate, and women earn almost half of all the law degrees awarded each year (source: Generation Me by Jean M. Twenge, 2007).

Right now, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the sole "token" woman on the Supreme Court.

One woman who has been mentioned for consideration is Obama's Solicitor General, Elena Kagan. Ms. Kagan is a former Harvard Law School Dean. She's young (in her late 40's) and that's a plus.

Back to why appointing a woman is important. In a 2008 award winning paper entitled "Untangling the Causal Effects of Sex on Judging" (Boyd, Martin, and Epstein), findings indicated that male judges rule differently when they share the bench with a woman. And this makes sense. Think about it. Most men (e.g., husbands) function differently when women are around. And, dare I say it, they function better.

Obama says he wants to choose someone with empathy and understanding. A Harvard Law School Study found that twice as many women as men said that "helping others" was one of the most important factors in choosing a career. And according to a study by The Center for Work-Life Policy, only 20% of highly qualified female lawyers said that having a "powerful position" was an important career goal.

Women experience life differently than men, and female moral reasoning is different than a man's. A more gender-balanced Supreme Court would be more normal. And there are many highly qualified brilliant liberal women to fill this position.

Pictured: Solicitor General Elena Kagan

Replace Justice Souter With a Liberal Woman

David Souter, a left-leaning Supreme Court Justice, will be retiring, so it would make sense for Obama to appoint another liberal judge. Appointing a smart, liberal woman would make the most sense. In fact, the more liberal the better, to counter-balance Justices Thomas, Roberts, Alito, and Scalia who are all hard righties.

It would be normal to have 4 0r 5 women judges serving on the US Supreme Court. Women make up the majority of our population, a majority of the electorate, and women earn almost half of all the law degrees awarded each year (source: Generation Me by Jean M. Twenge, 2007).

Right now, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the sole "token" woman on the Supreme Court.

One woman who has been mentioned for consideration is Obama's Solicitor General, Elena Kagan. Ms. Kagan is a former Harvard Law School Dean. She's young (in her late 40's) and that's a plus.

Back to why appointing a woman is important. In a 2008 award winning paper entitled "Untangling the Causal Effects of Sex on Judging" (Boyd, Martin, and Epstein), findings indicated that male judges rule differently when they share the bench with a woman. And this makes sense. Think about it. Most men (e.g., husbands) function differently when women are around. And, dare I say it, they function better.

Obama says he wants to choose someone with empathy and understanding. A Harvard Law School Study found that twice as many women as men said that "helping others" was one of the most important factors in choosing a career. And according to a study by The Center for Work-Life Policy, only 20% of highly qualified female lawyers said that having a "powerful position" was an important career goal.

Women experience life differently than men, and female moral reasoning is different than a man's. A more gender-balanced Supreme Court would be more normal. And there are many highly qualified brilliant liberal women to fill this position.

Pictured: Solicitor General Elena Kagan

LVS MUZZLED BY HACKER

Readers, last night, "someone" (wink wink) hacked into our blog and deleted most of the comments from our first several posts.

Obviously, his main agenda was sabotaging our 4/26/09 post on DA Jim Martin ... that post has the most comments deleted.

We know who did this. You do too.

So much for "Rebecca's Pocket" blog etiquette, eh?

And Pennsylvania law.

Not to worry, readers. I'll change my password. But not my Justice Mission.

UpDate: Readers, we have compelling evidence that we've caught the culprit (O'Hare), w/ the help of some vigilant LVS fans. See the series of comments that starts at Monday, May 4, 2:31pm. Gotcha. Dumb-ass.

LVS MUZZLED BY HACKER

Readers, last night, "someone" (wink wink) hacked into our blog and deleted most of the comments from our first several posts.

Obviously, his main agenda was sabotaging our 4/26/09 post on DA Jim Martin ... that post has the most comments deleted.

We know who did this. You do too.

So much for "Rebecca's Pocket" blog etiquette, eh?

And Pennsylvania law.

Not to worry, readers. I'll change my password. But not my Justice Mission.

UpDate: Readers, we have compelling evidence that we've caught the culprit (O'Hare), w/ the help of some vigilant LVS fans. See the series of comments that starts at Monday, May 4, 2:31pm. Gotcha. Dumb-ass.

A New Playground in Allentown!

We are lucky to have a wonderful park system in Allentown. Our family spends a lot of time at parks and on playgrounds. We take advantage of the Muhlenberg School playground, where our son can stay after school and play with his friends. Other than the school playground, which has old equipment, and is like a swamp after it rains, there are no other public playgrounds in the west end of Allentown. This is why I am excited about plans for a new fully accessible destination playground to be built at Allentown's Cedar Beach park. According to the mayor, this playground will "consist of the latest technology and most innovative playground equipment available." Wow, that sounds great!

Unstructured play is so important to a child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. Childhood obesity is a problem in this country. Too many kids stay home and play video games or watch television. Too many parents use television as a babysitter. The American Heart Association advocates for one hour of play a day for kids.

Our community is changing and growing. There are more children. Children of all ages can benefit from a new playground. New playground equipment looks more like big modern sculptures for kids to explore and be creative. These newer structures are safer than the old equipment, and are handicap accessible. They are also designed with less flat surfaces, which helps to deter graffitti. And it's free fun! I know that there are many Allentown children (and parents) who will benefit from the new playground.

A New Playground in Allentown!

We are lucky to have a wonderful park system in Allentown. Our family spends a lot of time at parks and on playgrounds. We take advantage of the Muhlenberg School playground, where our son can stay after school and play with his friends. Other than the school playground, which has old equipment, and is like a swamp after it rains, there are no other public playgrounds in the west end of Allentown. This is why I am excited about plans for a new fully accessible destination playground to be built at Allentown's Cedar Beach park. According to the mayor, this playground will "consist of the latest technology and most innovative playground equipment available." Wow, that sounds great!

Unstructured play is so important to a child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development. Childhood obesity is a problem in this country. Too many kids stay home and play video games or watch television. Too many parents use television as a babysitter. The American Heart Association advocates for one hour of play a day for kids.

Our community is changing and growing. There are more children. Children of all ages can benefit from a new playground. New playground equipment looks more like big modern sculptures for kids to explore and be creative. These newer structures are safer than the old equipment, and are handicap accessible. They are also designed with less flat surfaces, which helps to deter graffitti. And it's free fun! I know that there are many Allentown children (and parents) who will benefit from the new playground.

Jury Tosses DA Jim Martin's Murder Case in an Hour

Let's "read between the lines" of the always helpful to Jim Martin Morning Call "newspaper" account, shall we ...

Morning Call "newspaper" account

Jury acquits 2 men of murder

1 hour: Fast verdict spares Allentown man death sentence

Following a nine-day trial, a Lehigh County jury needed only about an hour Friday to acquit two men of murder.

Translation: Prosecutor DA Jim Martin's office busted their butts on this case (9-day trial) but the jury blew it in favor of the guilty killers.

By Kevin Amerman

Of The Morning Call

... and Bill Villa, Of Lehigh Valley Somebody

April 25, 2009

Despite DNA evidence, an alleged motive and witness testimony that prosecutors said showed the two men gunned down 30-year-old Rahiem Melvin in an Allentown alley in 2004 in front of his pregnant girlfriend and the woman's child, the jury found Sylvester Nelms and Wayne Jarrett not guilty of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

After the 12-member jury announced its verdict at 2:10 p.m., Nelms, 37, of Allentown wept as he rested his head on the defense table by his attorney Philip Lauer while 28-year-old Jarrett of Easton hugged his lawyer, John P. Karoly Jr.

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

Teary-eyed, Nelms, who faced the death penalty if convicted, put his hand up and thanked the jury as it exited the courtroom.

Translation: Remember OJ doing the same thing?

Jury members were led out before others were permitted to leave. They were quickly escorted to their cars by sheriff's deputies and could not be reached for comment.

Translation: The jury of "killer lovers" wouldn't even comment, they just ran away in shame like the OJ jury did.

Nelms and Jarrett, also known as Wayne Benn, were taken to Lehigh County Prison but were expected to be freed by Friday night.

Translation: They'll be bragging to their criminal buddies how their lawyers helped them get away w/ murder.

''Justice is served, justice is served,'' said Jarrett's mother, Joan Jarrett, as she exited the courtroom. ''My son has never been guilty.''

Translation: What would you expect his mother to say?

Josephine Felton testified that Melvin, her boyfriend at the time he was killed, was so threatened by Nelms that the couple moved several times. She said Melvin spotted a car matching the description of Nelms' car a few times on Jan. 23, 2004. She saw it again in the 200 block of E. Winton Street in Allentown at about 2:30 p.m. The cars came together and Felton said shots were fired from the other car, which contained two men wearing ski masks.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Melvin's chest absorbed four of the seven shots. Two ski masks containing DNA matching Nelms' and Jarrett's DNA were found within two blocks, police said. Leotta Smith, the girlfriend of Nelms at the time, told police during one interview that Nelms came home that day and told her ''I put him [Melvin] down.''

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Besides the physical evidence, authorities said they uncovered a motive. Nelms, police said, blamed Melvin for luring him to Larry Holmes' Ringside Restaurant in Easton in May 2003, where Nelms was shot by another man. Tracy Campbell, 35, of Easton was charged with shooting Nelms in 2003, but the case was dismissed in February 2008. Nelms said he couldn't say for sure that it was Campbell who shot him.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Nelms took the stand Wednesday and Thursday and said he believes Campbell not only shot him, but also shot Melvin. He said Campbell and his cohorts could have stolen a car that looked like his and planted DNA evidence near the scene to frame him.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Nelms said Campbell could have killed Melvin because Melvin refused to cover up the 2003 shooting.

Attorneys in the case Friday didn't speak with the jurors, so they were unsure if the jury bought Nelms' theory or just believed Nelms and Jarrett were not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Translation: No one from The Morning Call spoke w/ any of the jurors neither.

''I think the speed with which they rendered the verdict was to send a message that these two men should not have been defendants in this case,'' Karoly said. ''Based on the evidence, I don't see how it could be anything but [an acquittal].''

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

Karoly and Lauer argued that police focused only on Nelms and Jarrett and refused to consider others who could have killed Melvin. The lawyers also said witnesses who testified against the men were unreliable and in some cases had ulterior motives.

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

The prosecutor in the case, Lehigh County Chief Deputy District Attorney Christie Bonesch, said she was disappointed but, ''We respect the jury verdict.''

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

After the jury left the courtroom, Jarrett hugged Karoly and thanked Judge Robert L. Steinberg for being ''very fair'' and treating him with respect. The one way you can make me feel better is to never see me again,'' the judge replied."

Translation: Hmm, well I guess it is possible that two innocent men were wrongly charged here ... and that justice was indeed served ... but ... more likely the jury blew this case. Heck, even the judge seemed pissed off.

Readers: Either 2 guilty killers walked in this case because of an increasingly erratic and incompetent DA Jim Martin ...

or ...

2 innocent men were wrongly charged in this case because of an increasingly erratic and incompetent DA Jim Martin.

It was one or the other.

And for the 2nd time in as many months, a Lehigh County jury has seen through DA Jim Martin's prosecutorial incompetence quickly, see LVS, March 1, 2009

And once again, The Morning Call tells us absolutely nothing about the defense's winning case.

The Morning Call will not lay a glove on DA Jim Martin, no way, no how.

Is anyone interested in WHY this is?

Read > THE DIRTY FACTS ON DA JIM MARTIN

Essential Reading > WHY WE FIGHT

Jury Tosses DA Jim Martin's Murder Case in an Hour

Let's "read between the lines" of the always helpful to Jim Martin Morning Call "newspaper" account, shall we ...

Morning Call "newspaper" account

Jury acquits 2 men of murder

1 hour: Fast verdict spares Allentown man death sentence

Following a nine-day trial, a Lehigh County jury needed only about an hour Friday to acquit two men of murder.

Translation: Prosecutor DA Jim Martin's office busted their butts on this case (9-day trial) but the jury blew it in favor of the guilty killers.

By Kevin Amerman

Of The Morning Call

... and Bill Villa, Of Lehigh Valley Somebody

April 25, 2009

Despite DNA evidence, an alleged motive and witness testimony that prosecutors said showed the two men gunned down 30-year-old Rahiem Melvin in an Allentown alley in 2004 in front of his pregnant girlfriend and the woman's child, the jury found Sylvester Nelms and Wayne Jarrett not guilty of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

After the 12-member jury announced its verdict at 2:10 p.m., Nelms, 37, of Allentown wept as he rested his head on the defense table by his attorney Philip Lauer while 28-year-old Jarrett of Easton hugged his lawyer, John P. Karoly Jr.

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

Teary-eyed, Nelms, who faced the death penalty if convicted, put his hand up and thanked the jury as it exited the courtroom.

Translation: Remember OJ doing the same thing?

Jury members were led out before others were permitted to leave. They were quickly escorted to their cars by sheriff's deputies and could not be reached for comment.

Translation: The jury of "killer lovers" wouldn't even comment, they just ran away in shame like the OJ jury did.

Nelms and Jarrett, also known as Wayne Benn, were taken to Lehigh County Prison but were expected to be freed by Friday night.

Translation: They'll be bragging to their criminal buddies how their lawyers helped them get away w/ murder.

''Justice is served, justice is served,'' said Jarrett's mother, Joan Jarrett, as she exited the courtroom. ''My son has never been guilty.''

Translation: What would you expect his mother to say?

Josephine Felton testified that Melvin, her boyfriend at the time he was killed, was so threatened by Nelms that the couple moved several times. She said Melvin spotted a car matching the description of Nelms' car a few times on Jan. 23, 2004. She saw it again in the 200 block of E. Winton Street in Allentown at about 2:30 p.m. The cars came together and Felton said shots were fired from the other car, which contained two men wearing ski masks.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Melvin's chest absorbed four of the seven shots. Two ski masks containing DNA matching Nelms' and Jarrett's DNA were found within two blocks, police said. Leotta Smith, the girlfriend of Nelms at the time, told police during one interview that Nelms came home that day and told her ''I put him [Melvin] down.''

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Besides the physical evidence, authorities said they uncovered a motive. Nelms, police said, blamed Melvin for luring him to Larry Holmes' Ringside Restaurant in Easton in May 2003, where Nelms was shot by another man. Tracy Campbell, 35, of Easton was charged with shooting Nelms in 2003, but the case was dismissed in February 2008. Nelms said he couldn't say for sure that it was Campbell who shot him.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Nelms took the stand Wednesday and Thursday and said he believes Campbell not only shot him, but also shot Melvin. He said Campbell and his cohorts could have stolen a car that looked like his and planted DNA evidence near the scene to frame him.

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

Nelms said Campbell could have killed Melvin because Melvin refused to cover up the 2003 shooting.

Attorneys in the case Friday didn't speak with the jurors, so they were unsure if the jury bought Nelms' theory or just believed Nelms and Jarrett were not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Translation: No one from The Morning Call spoke w/ any of the jurors neither.

''I think the speed with which they rendered the verdict was to send a message that these two men should not have been defendants in this case,'' Karoly said. ''Based on the evidence, I don't see how it could be anything but [an acquittal].''

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

Karoly and Lauer argued that police focused only on Nelms and Jarrett and refused to consider others who could have killed Melvin. The lawyers also said witnesses who testified against the men were unreliable and in some cases had ulterior motives.

Translation: Despicable parasite defense attorneys (and not an incompetent DA Jim Martin) have put two killers back on the street.

The prosecutor in the case, Lehigh County Chief Deputy District Attorney Christie Bonesch, said she was disappointed but, ''We respect the jury verdict.''

Translation: The jury blew this case, not DA Jim Martin, obviously these two were guilty.

After the jury left the courtroom, Jarrett hugged Karoly and thanked Judge Robert L. Steinberg for being ''very fair'' and treating him with respect. The one way you can make me feel better is to never see me again,'' the judge replied."

Translation: Hmm, well I guess it is possible that two innocent men were wrongly charged here ... and that justice was indeed served ... but ... more likely the jury blew this case. Heck, even the judge seemed pissed off.

Readers: Either 2 guilty killers walked in this case because of an increasingly erratic and incompetent DA Jim Martin ...

or ...

2 innocent men were wrongly charged in this case because of an increasingly erratic and incompetent DA Jim Martin.

It was one or the other.

And for the 2nd time in as many months, a Lehigh County jury has seen through DA Jim Martin's prosecutorial incompetence quickly, see LVS, March 1, 2009

And once again, The Morning Call tells us absolutely nothing about the defense's winning case.

The Morning Call will not lay a glove on DA Jim Martin, no way, no how.

Is anyone interested in WHY this is?

Read > THE DIRTY FACTS ON DA JIM MARTIN

Essential Reading > WHY WE FIGHT

The "Going Green" Bonanza

I do what I can to "go green." I recycle, drive a small economy car, walk, turn off lights, try to consume less, because I believe it is the right way to live. But lately I feel like I have been bombarded with "green" products. Seems like companies are enticing consumers to buy their new "environmentally friendly" stuff so we can all feel good about saving the planet as we consume. Kinda like environ mental health for consumers. But how legitimate are the claims that these companies are making?

Reynolds wrap makes a new aluminum foil made from 100% recycled aluminum. I can't believe they just got the idea to use recycled aluminum for tinfoil. What were they doing before? According to their website http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com/index.html, the recycled foil is made from "post consumer aluminum such as stadium seats, automobile components, cookware, gutters and siding." So that's what they did with the old Yankee Stadium seats.

There are new "green" cleaning products, paper products and all sorts of stuff. Sometimes I wonder if it is the same old crap in a different package. Actually, the new green stuff could be a lower grade product, but it's still the same price, and sometimes even more pricey. The paper products sure feel a little lighter. What about all that wasteful packaging? A bag of potato chips is still only like 1/3 full. Isn't all that extra packaging bad for the planet?

Wouldn't it make more sense to just use less stuff or omit some products from your life altogether? Like bottled water for example. I could live without that. What a scam, and a waste of plastic. And do I really need to buy a different cleaning product for each surface? I think Fantastick works fantastic on most surfaces.

In a survey done for the Canadian government by a group called "TerraChoice", just 2 percent of self-proclaimed green products (from US and Canada) make completely legitimate claims on their labels.

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE53E6RS20090415?rpc=62

Happy Earth Day Weekend! Go outside and enjoy the warm weather.

Photo of Trexler Park by Gianni Villa age 7

The "Going Green" Bonanza

I do what I can to "go green." I recycle, drive a small economy car, walk, turn off lights, try to consume less, because I believe it is the right way to live. But lately I feel like I have been bombarded with "green" products. Seems like companies are enticing consumers to buy their new "environmentally friendly" stuff so we can all feel good about saving the planet as we consume. Kinda like environ mental health for consumers. But how legitimate are the claims that these companies are making?

Reynolds wrap makes a new aluminum foil made from 100% recycled aluminum. I can't believe they just got the idea to use recycled aluminum for tinfoil. What were they doing before? According to their website http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com/index.html, the recycled foil is made from "post consumer aluminum such as stadium seats, automobile components, cookware, gutters and siding." So that's what they did with the old Yankee Stadium seats.

There are new "green" cleaning products, paper products and all sorts of stuff. Sometimes I wonder if it is the same old crap in a different package. Actually, the new green stuff could be a lower grade product, but it's still the same price, and sometimes even more pricey. The paper products sure feel a little lighter. What about all that wasteful packaging? A bag of potato chips is still only like 1/3 full. Isn't all that extra packaging bad for the planet?

Wouldn't it make more sense to just use less stuff or omit some products from your life altogether? Like bottled water for example. I could live without that. What a scam, and a waste of plastic. And do I really need to buy a different cleaning product for each surface? I think Fantastick works fantastic on most surfaces.

In a survey done for the Canadian government by a group called "TerraChoice", just 2 percent of self-proclaimed green products (from US and Canada) make completely legitimate claims on their labels.

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE53E6RS20090415?rpc=62

Happy Earth Day Weekend! Go outside and enjoy the warm weather.

Photo of Trexler Park by Gianni Villa age 7

Impeaching Bybee Would Be a Start

Federal Judge Jay Bybee, who serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, should be impeached for authoring the Bush torture memos
which were written to provide legal immunity for illegal, immoral, and sadistic acts of torture, i.e., waterboarding.

Impeaching Bybee would be a good start in bringing all the Bush administration war criminals to justice. People at the top, and that means former Attorney General

Alberto Gonzales, President Bush, and Hissing Viper VP Dick Cheney should be prosecuted and held accountable for their war crimes.

The New York Times is calling for Bybee's impeachment.

According to the torture memos, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in a month, which is 6 times a day. Now I'm no fan of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, but if this waterboarding method of torture is so effective, then why did it need to be administered almost 200 times in a one month period? And what was its yield regarding actionable anti-terrorism information? Zero (gulp), Zip (gulp), Nothing (gasp).

To guarantee that these immoral (and ineffective) criminal acts are never repeated, and to restore our reputation in the world, we need to act on this now. It's not "looking back" because this issue is very front and center to who we are right now as a nation, and what we stand for.

It is a mockery of our "justice system" that someone with judgement skills as awful as Jay Bybee's be allowed to hold a lifetime seat as a Federal Judge! Judge Jay Bybee should be impeached and disbarred, ASAP.

By releasing the memos, President Obama has shown his commitment to transparency in government. I understand that he has to focus on the economy right now and that the Justice Department should handle this. But I also must register my disappointment with our new President that he, a constitutional law professor, has not yet come out and said there must be prosecutions for violating the law-- no matter how high up the previous administration the long arm of the law reaches. I also see this as a failure of Congressional oversight by the Democrats and the Republicans over the last 8 years, because they were both afraid to stand up to the bully Cheney/Bush administration. They can reassert their authority now by initiating impeachment proceedings starting with Jay Bybee and proceeding upward from there.

Don't worry Rs, you know Dick Cheney has a suicide capsule in his jacket pocket :) we'll never take him alive.

W? He won't even see it coming.

Impeaching Bybee Would Be a Start

Federal Judge Jay Bybee, who serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, should be impeached for authoring the Bush torture memos
which were written to provide legal immunity for illegal, immoral, and sadistic acts of torture, i.e., waterboarding.

Impeaching Bybee would be a good start in bringing all the Bush administration war criminals to justice. People at the top, and that means former Attorney General

Alberto Gonzales, President Bush, and Hissing Viper VP Dick Cheney should be prosecuted and held accountable for their war crimes.

The New York Times is calling for Bybee's impeachment.

According to the torture memos, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in a month, which is 6 times a day. Now I'm no fan of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, but if this waterboarding method of torture is so effective, then why did it need to be administered almost 200 times in a one month period? And what was its yield regarding actionable anti-terrorism information? Zero (gulp), Zip (gulp), Nothing (gasp).

To guarantee that these immoral (and ineffective) criminal acts are never repeated, and to restore our reputation in the world, we need to act on this now. It's not "looking back" because this issue is very front and center to who we are right now as a nation, and what we stand for.

It is a mockery of our "justice system" that someone with judgement skills as awful as Jay Bybee's be allowed to hold a lifetime seat as a Federal Judge! Judge Jay Bybee should be impeached and disbarred, ASAP.

By releasing the memos, President Obama has shown his commitment to transparency in government. I understand that he has to focus on the economy right now and that the Justice Department should handle this. But I also must register my disappointment with our new President that he, a constitutional law professor, has not yet come out and said there must be prosecutions for violating the law-- no matter how high up the previous administration the long arm of the law reaches. I also see this as a failure of Congressional oversight by the Democrats and the Republicans over the last 8 years, because they were both afraid to stand up to the bully Cheney/Bush administration. They can reassert their authority now by initiating impeachment proceedings starting with Jay Bybee and proceeding upward from there.

Don't worry Rs, you know Dick Cheney has a suicide capsule in his jacket pocket :) we'll never take him alive.

W? He won't even see it coming.