Base10Blog
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
 
NYPD Reads

Gotham Gazette has a very cool piece on NYPD web sites. But what is most interesting is their list of NYPD books here. There is a strange coincidence here, since Base10 has just started Gotham, the book that appears to be the definitive history of NYC.
 
The French, Iraq and What Else is New.

The Times is reporting that the marine abducted and being threatened with death by the extremists in Iraq was trying to desert. According to the article the marine, Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun, was shaken by the death of his sergeant and was trying to make his way to Lebanon, his family's native country. He befriended some Iraqi's on the base where he was assigned who apparently offered him a way out. The Iraqis then betrayed him and turned him over to the terrorists. Base10 is really thinking about this development. First, was it necessary to release this information? Well, maybe. Second, doesn't this make the Baathist/al Qaeda side seem even more monstrous (if that's possible)? They betrayed a fellow Muslim who actually was trying to desert the military.

Whatever the truth is here, Base10 offers sympathy for Corporal Hassoun's family and hopes he makes it out okay.

In other news, William Safire writes that (1) the French can not be trusted, and (2) Iraq was indeed trying to buy uranium ("yellow cake") in Niger. Forged documents relied on by the intelligence community not withstanding, the actual intelligence supports the proposition that Iraq was trying to do it. So much for the credibility of the self-declared enemy of the Bush administration, Joe Wilson.

This makes one think about the WMD issue again. But wait, more shells containing sarin gas have been discovered in Iraq! Maybe the WMD claims were not the "outrageous lies" that the liberals are claiming.
 
Supreme Court Redux.

The Wall Street Journal has a couple of very thoughtful pieces on SCOTUS's (Base10 love's that acronym) decision regarding the detained enemy combatants. First, the edit-heads point out that the court's ruling was not really a blow to Bush and in fact actually almost begged to have claimant's hearings conducted by military tribunals. Second, John Yoo has a cleverly titled piece interpreting the decision.

If one reads the decisions as a poke-in-the-ribs message to put up or shut up on holding trials, it appears that the Pentagon seems to have voted "put up."


Tuesday, June 29, 2004
 
Peloton News.

Reuters has a nice profile of Jan Ullrich and examines the man's career. Ullrich has an autobiography out now and said in no uncertain terms:

This race will probable decide if I'm to be remembered years from now as a gifted talent who made life hard on himself but still got his act together for great victories or a sloppy genius.

Whether Ullrich can do it this year is certainly open to question, London bookmakers have Armstrong as the heavy favorite (although not by so much as in the past). Armstrong is 11/10 while Ullrich his closest competitor is at 5/2. Here's a link. (Why does UK Yahoo have all the odds but not US Yahoo)?

Also, here is an interesting item about how several other of cycling's greatest riders lost the Tour de France on their sixth try.
 
Geek News.
Base10 is having a nerdiness attack. Here are some things that he found interesting:

Apple has previewed the next version of OSX, codenamed "Tiger," touting it to be its answer to Microsoft's much delayed "Longhorn" update. Base10 is developing a fondness for Apple products. A quick example: Base10 is experimenting with the idea of doing his own hosting. He has an old Windows box running win98 but is having a hard time using IIS. Base10 tried some more modern linux distros but they are not working (this is a really old machine) out of the box. Base10 has resigned himself to getting a low-end computer to act as a server. As an experiment, he tried to set up Mrs. Base10's rather aged iBook to see if a Mac was a viable option. Wham! With Apache built in, Base10 adjusted two settings on the iBook and one on the router and a web server with FTP and SSH was up and running. In fairness it still needs some tweeking. Base10 can't seem to get his router to recognize the machine with a static IP address. But even so, isn't this amazing? Why are we buying our software from Microsoft again?

Up in the sky, the Cassini probe has just produced a striking black-and-white image of Saturn. According to this article, orbital insertion is supposed to take place on June 30 with the first images coming back on July 1. Base10 can't wait for the Huygens probe to be launched into Titan's atmosphere, expected on January 14, 2005. But here's a Voyager image to hold you over.

And then there's this cool idea to use nonotechnology to build unreasonably strong materials to act as a cable for a space elevator.
 
Supreme Court Ruling.
The US Supreme Court made several rulings regarding the detention of terrorist suspects yesterday. The decisions concerned three cases. The first, Rumsfeld v. Padilla, was remanded on a technical issue and resulted in no substantive ruling. Padilla, as you may recall, is an American citizen who was arrested in Chicago after plotting with al Qaeda members in Pakistan to make a dirty bomb. The second case, Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, is certainly of more importance. Hamdi is a US citizen who was detained as an enemy fighter by the Northern Alliance in the early days of the Afghanistan war. He was originally sent to Guantanamo Bay for detention, but when it was learned he was a US citizen he was sent to a Naval prison and has been since held without access to counsel. The third case, Rasul v. Bush, concerns a foreign national detained on foreign soil in Guantanamo. In the latter two cases, the court agreed that the administration could hold "enemy combatants" without trial. What the court did have a problem with was the indefinite nature of such detentions. Basically, the purpose of detaining enemy soldiers is not punitive, but is for the purpose of preventing them to return to the field of battle. When hostilities cease, the detainees must be released or otherwise charged as war criminals. Unfortunately, in the war on terror, there is no clear-cut line of demarcation when hostilities are over.

Base10 gives a caveat here. He did not finish reading the decisions. But it seems to me that the media is playing this up as a Bush failure, when it doesn't seem that way at all. See for example, this AP article or this from Reuters. CNN was more evenhanded. The rulings held that the US government could detain a US citizen as an enemy combatant. It also did not foreclose trials by military tribunals as planned by the Defense Department.
 
A New Iraq.
Base10 did not have a chance to mention this yesterday, but Iraq is now in charge of its own affairs. Base10 congratulates the new government of Iraq and wishes the best for the Iraqi people. I think it was a smart move to turn over power early and avoid the expected terrorist attacks. Combine this with NATO's agreement to train the new Iraqi military, and it really seems like the situation is turning around.

Predictably, Paul Krugman has already declared defeat...

UPDATE: Roger L. Simon has a biting critique of Krugman's article.
 
With Allies Like This...
France is at it again. Although it is our "ally" France has blocked deployment of NATO's Rapid Deployment Force to assist in the security operation to protect the upcoming elections in Afghanistan. See also William Safire's piece about the rapidly diminishing relevence of NATO if it does not begin to embrace a new mission to fight the war on terror.
Friday, June 25, 2004
 
The Inconvenience of the Republicans.

In a move likely to infuriate Democrats, Mayor Mike announced the steet closures that will take effect for August's Republican National Convention. Bottom line is if you plan on being anywhere near the Garden, you're not going to be driving.
 
You Go Girl!
Monica Lewinsky gave an absolutely scathing interview to a London broadcaster about the new Bill Clinton tome. (Via Drudge). Ms. Lewinsky is disturbed that the former President described himself as proud of the way he defended himself from perjury allegations. He apparently forgot that in doing so, he and the Clintonistas had managed to detroy Lewinsky.
 
Base10 is Linked!
Base10 got linked by a Tour de France weblog. Thank you very much!
 
Jets Stadium Tidbit
Jay Cross is a mild mannered NFL team president by day. But by night his secret identity seems to be a tough-as-nails pugilist. In today's Daily News, Cross has an open letter challenging MSG honcho Jim Dolan to a head-to-head debate on the merits of the westside Jets stadium proposal. Cross also strongly criticizes MSG for it's stealth TV commercial campaign disguising itself as the "New York Association for Better Choices."

Base10 says bring it on! Jay Cross can take Jim Dolan. Base10's official prediction is Cross by KO in six rounds.

 
Iraq Fighting.
Several coordinated attacks occurred in Iraq overnight. The Times is reporting that at least 105 people were killed--the main brunt being from four car bombs in Mosul. Fighting was also reported to be heavy in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad. Base10 recalls reading that the heaviest fighting in WWII occurred when the Nazi regime was on verge of final defeat. Base10 thinks there is a parallel here. If the Islamists are so confident that they can defeat all enemies, why are they targeting civilians in the week immediately preceeding the transfer of power. Answer: they realize that the game is over if democratic institutions reach Iraq. Their main arguments blaming all the Arab world's problems on America and Israel is refuted.
 
Streisand Political Watch
Erstwhile crooner Barbra Streisand is coming out of retirement to sing at a concert benefiting the John Kerry campaign. She is planning on doing a duet with Neil Diamond in a reprise of their sonorous ballad, You Don't Bring me Flowers. Well, at least she's not making whacky political statements like she usually does. Base10 believes people should stick with what they do best which in her case is making bad music.

MSNBC reports that the New York concert will also feature Whoopi Goldberg and Jon Bon Jovi. These entertainers should consider forming an political action committee. "Has-Been's for Kerry!" comes immediately to mind and has a nice ring to it. Judging by the list of performers, it is clear that the Kerry campaign has completely given up on the youth vote. Especially since the ticket prices will reportedly be between $250 to $25,000.
 
Death Penalty Overturned in New York.
The New York State Court of Appeals has overturned the state's death penalty law. The statute requires that juries be instructed that if they cannot reach a verdict deciding between death or life in prison without parole, that the defendant may be paroled some day. The Court finds that this provision--one that actually tells a jury the truth--violates the New York State Constitution. Base10 has to read the ruling but finds this mind-boggling. Doesn't the will of the citizens count for anything? The ruling occurred in the death penalty appeal of John Taylor who was convicted of murdering five people in a Wendy's restaurant in 2002.
 
Good Job, Sparky!
Reuters reports that a man was about to embark on a killing spree in Canada after arming himself with numerous weapons and ammunition. He changed his mind after encountering a friendly dog. Good thing it wasn't a cat!
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
 
Don't Like the Nickname Department
Well, it's that time of year again. In a mere ten days, Lance Armstrong and the US Postal Team will quite possibly ride into history. Check this story from AFP. The prologue starts on July 3 and this will be a tough race. The time trial in Stage 16 over a 15km climb looks like the race right there. That's where the battle will be between Lance Armstrong and Jan Ullrich. Some commentators are also suggesting that Tyler Hamilton could have a big race.

This year's tour is also not without controversy. In a new book, Armstrong is alleged to have engaged in doping, in what seems to be an annual event in the French press. (No need to go on about Base10's feelings toward the French). Armstrong recently lost his bid to insert his denial of drug use in the text.

Aside from his mutant like lung capacity and leg strength, there is something to love about Lance Armstrong. This is his shot at the sixth yellow jersey. It will cement his place as the greatest cyclist in the history of the sport. This on the heels of his recovery from cancer. You couldn't write a movie of the week better than that.

The Peloton is one of Base10's favorite sports. First, it is a team sport although it may seem to solely rely on individual effort. Lance can only win with the help from members of his team. Second, there is a curious camaraderie between riders. In last years tour, Armstrong took a spill because a spectator held a bag out in the road and it caught his bike. Ullrich, who was still in contention at this point, and others did not attack. There is an unwritten rule in the tour that one does not attack the leader during a mechanical problem. All of which shows that one wins or loses in the Tour de France with one's head, one's legs and one's heart, not because of a broken chain. If only some American athletes would internalize this theme.

Here's a link to the official site. Let's bring that yellow jersey back to Texas!
And here's a photo to boot. Visit www.cyclingphotography.co.uk!


 
And You Thought Grade Inflation is Bad...
It seems that some Iraqi university students are taking advantage of current lack of centralized law enforcement by threatening teachers to give them better grades. Sabri al-Bayati, a Baghdad University professor was killed after he held an exam. Most believe the death was in retaliation for giving a failing grade.

What ever happened to swallowing goldfish or seeing how many people you could cram into a Volkswagen? Talk about the school of hard knocks!
 
Terrorists and Their Lawyers.
The trial of activist attorney/terrorist co-conspirator Lynne Stewart began yesterday. Stewart conspired to relay messages between convicted terrorist Omar Abdel Rahman and his organization in Egypt. A court order prohibited Rahman from communicating with the outside world. Stewart apparently thought a court order shouldn't stop her from passing on instructions from Rahman to an Egyptian journalist for publication that instructed his group to resume terror attacks.

NY1 has the story here. Base10 gets a kick out of this headline in the Times, "U.S. Prosecutor says Lawyer Aided in Terror." Maybe, just maybe, the jury will say it too. Yesterday's Times story on the matter, linked to here, claims that defense attorneys are concerned that the Bush administration is eroding the right to counsel.
The case has caused an uproar among defense lawyers, many of whom see the charges as an effort by the Bush administration to scare them and chip away at civil rights in the name of combating terrorism.

Base10 may have missed that day in law school, but he's pretty sure that right to counsel does not include the right to communicate with terrorist organizations in violation of court orders.

Much has been made by commentators about the effect of this case on attorney/client privilege. But that is not really the point. Any communication passed on by Stewart is by definition no longer privileged. By focusing on this issue, the left tries to make this case into an abridgment of civil liberties (blamed on Bush and Ashcroft, of course). Lynne Stewart can try to hide behind her attorney status, but the lesson here should be that attorney status does not confer immunity in these cases. After the press release described above, 53 people were killed in Luxor, Egypt after Rahman's terrorist group attacked them. Base10 suspects a jury will feel the same way.
 
Speaking of Michael Moore...
Christopher Hitchens of Slate has penned the ultimate review of Michael Moore's new film, Farenheit 9/11. Click here for the link.

No comment is necessary after reading this. Hitchens has written the ultimate Moore critique. Best of all, it's chock full of highbrow intellectual phrases to describe the film. This is important in Base10's case because there is no way in hell he is going to plunk down his hard-earned pesos to watch Michael Moore stroke his own ego. If you don't read the whole thing, just read this one paragraph--Base10's favorite:
To describe this film as dishonest and demagogic would almost be to promote those terms to the level of respectability. To describe this film as a piece of crap would be to run the risk of a discourse that would never again rise above the excremental. To describe it as an exercise in facile crowd-pleasing would be too obvious. Fahrenheit 9/11 is a sinister exercise in moral frivolity, crudely disguised as an exercise in seriousness. It is also a spectacle of abject political cowardice masking itself as a demonstration of "dissenting" bravery.

"Sinister exercise in moral frivolity." Yeah. Base10 can remember that one.

Tuesday, June 22, 2004
 
Things to Come.
Base10 took a few days off from the Blog but has just posted a few items that interested him. He promises a police news piece tonight if at all possible. The good news is that Base10 did trek to Rockaway over this past weekend and snapped some photos. Today or tomorrow, readers may see the Base10 guide to Rockaway Bars!
 
Michael Moore and the Politics of Warfare.
Base10 caught Michael Moore on This Week on Sunday hawking his new movie. To his credit, Moore was wearing a suit. That is of course the only good thing I can say about him. Usually Moore tries to portray himself as a working class man-of-the-people when in fact he is vastly wealthy and has likely never worked a day of the manual labor his usual couture describes.

In fairness to Moore, he did state that he is partisan. He said he was a liberal and he hopes that his film will unseat George W. Bush. In this respect he characterizes his movie as an op-ed piece. Strangely he became rather shrill when he actually had to defend his cutting of interviews and its subsequent effect on content. This is a practice he has long been accused of and he became quite irate when confronted about it. The other thing that was funny was that he is threatening lawsuits against members of the presumptive "right wing conspiracy" who might dare to criticize him. (Oh, I'm scared)!

Well judge for yourself. Here is the transcript from ABC. And here is a little coherent thought from Mark Goldblatt of the National Review on the matter. Base10 particularly likes the phrase "cognitive spelunking" in describing the intellectual level of Moore's film.

The thing that Base10 finds most disturbing about this is not limited to Moore. Moore became righteously indignant during the course of the interview when he was accused of being unpatriotic. But isn't that really what it is? What is he suggesting, that Bush knew the attack was comming? Maybe he's saying that Bush was in league with al Quaeda? Playing politics with warfare is what will ultimately defeat the Democrats this fall. One may disagree with the president, but the arguments from the left have been limited to banalities like "it's all about the oil, dude." Maybe we should be at war with Iran or Syria and not Iraq. But this is a criticism of means not ends. Base10 for one thinks that a stable middle east cannot be achieved without a democratic Iraq. The upsurge in violence in Iraq is a sign that we are winning. Debasing the war effort in an effort to unseat the President is unpatriotic and betrays out troops.
 
Supreme Court Ruling.
The Supreme Court has ruled that a statute requiring a person to identify themselves to police is valid. The case came up in a challenge to a Terry stop in Nevada. Under Terry v. Ohio, police may briefly detain a person on less than probably cause (the level of proof required for arrest) if they have reasonable suspicion a crime is taking place. A Nevada statute makes it a misdemeanor to refuse to identify oneself in this context.

This is a major departure for the Court. The clear implication prior to this decision was that a suspect could always remain silent. (Also open was whether this silence itself could be used to determine probable cause). While this is a departure for the court, I think it is a reminder that 9/11 really did happen.

If you read some commentators this is the end of civilization as we know it. (See this short piece in Slashdot). People seem to be missing the point. First, a state has to have a law criminalizing failure to identify oneself. Second, one's identity is not testimony in any sense. Requiring someone to tell their name in a judicial context merely requires a subpoena. This doesn't even require the reasonable suspicion standard of Terry.
 
Is This Cool or What?

SpaceShipOne has made it to space!

There are some really cool photos on the Yahoo site as well. Base10 is sure he's not the only one, but he thinks this is the beginning of a new age. Private space flight! How about that! When Base10 was a kid he always wanted one of those Jetson aircars. Well maybe spaceflight will be available in his lifetime after all. There are a couple of points here:




Sunday, June 20, 2004
 
Charles Schumer Vacuous Public Statement Watch.
It is well known that New York's Sen. Charles Schumer has an annoying habit of conducting weekend press conferences and making vacuous public policy statements. The term "media whore" comes to mind, but Base10 is unwilling to give the Senator a "slash" type moniker just jet. Base10 has however decided to start tracking these statements. Newsday reports that on Saturday, Sen. Schumer appeared at a workers rally and called for affordable health care for all. Let me guess, Senator, do you also favor taking drugs out of schools? What's your position on prosecuting hate crimes? But wait, Base10 is getting ahead of himself. We have to save something for next week!
Thursday, June 17, 2004
 
Police News Roundup.
The Times reports that detectives in Monmouth County have solved the oldest open homicide case in New Jersey. An arrest warrant has been issued for the currently currently incarcerated Jerry L. Bellamy for the rape and murder of a 13 year-old girl in 1968. That is not a typo. 1968. Belamy is now 53 years old. He was caught by a DNA match.

The Post has a touching story about Isabelle Redman, a former police officer who was very seriously injured in an on-duty car accident in 1993. Ms. Redman is now an Assistant District Attorney and just received the Department's "Purple Shield" medal at the recent Medal Day ceremony.

In the story that just won't go away, William Hodges was just acquitted by a jury on felony charges that he bit a Police Officer in the leg during a struggle. He was convicted of misdemeanor charges. Hodges you may recall was accused of shooting a police officer in 2002 but was released by Supreme Court Justice/Jackass Laura Blackburne.

The Post also reports that a rally is being held for the Justice/Jackass today in front of Queens Supreme Court. The Post reports courthouse sources say the Blackburne had organized the rally herself.

Kudos to Queens narcotics detectives who made a huge drug seizure from a Queens warehouse. Officials seized more that half a ton of cocaine along with $190,000 and two firearms.

In the loser criminal of the day department, two armored car drivers turned would-be thieves hid bags containing $1 million in the reeds of a pond in Staten Island. Unfortunately for them, a ninth-grader fishing in the pond happened upon the sunken treasure.

The unfortunate members of the FDNY, Lt. Robert Doherty and Capt. Terence Walsh, who were caught drinking on-duty and singing in a karaoke bar in the lower east side back in February have been docked 90 days pay. It is unclear whether that is a suspension or merely a loss of leave time. Another unfortunate member of FDNY, Firefighter Gerard Ferrin was arrested for DWI in Far Rockaway.

Newsday reports that Mohammed Junaid Babar, a Queens native has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges relating to a bomb plot in London.

And finally, in the "who let the dogs out?" department, Bavarian dogwear designer Hildegard Bergbauer is marketing traditional Alpine for doggies. Items include, dirndls, lederhosen and even Tyrolean hats for your pooch. Bergbauer noted that "the leather outfits were best suited for dachshunds and other small dogs but also looked good on poodles, spaniels and boxers." A French poodle with lederhosen? Wars have been started over less!
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
 
Police News Roundup.
Just about everyone is complaining about the Mayor's new plan to assign responsibility to various agencies in the event of a major incident. (Read: What does NYPD get and what's left over for FDNY).

The Times reports that subpoenas have been issued in the trial of activist lawyer/terrorist co-conspirator Lynne Stewart. Apparently, Stewart made statements to several reporters regarding her case that seem to indicate her guilt. Nothing being sought from the reporters is in any way privileged communication. In the most controversial bit, Esmat Salaheddin, an Egyptian AP reporter is sought to testify that Stewart called him and read a statement from convicted terrorist Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman. This statement exhorted an Egyptian terrorist group to abandon a cease-fire it was observing. In what is clearly the lamest claim, Times reporter Patricia Hurtado believes that if she is forced to testify she might have to stop covering the trial.

An era has come to an end on Monday when Whitman Knapp, chairman of the sometimes controversial Knapp Commission in the 1970's, passed away. Some officers may bemoan the Knapp Commission's intentions, believing them more for political agrandizement than truly rooting out corruption. There may be some truth to that, but overall the Knapp Commission did succeed in eliminating systemic corruption in the NYPD. Unfortunately, it was not the first commission to end corruption in the NYPD and may not be the last.

In developments in the story of Supreme Court Justice/Jackass Laura Blackburne, the justice/jackass has been reassigned to a position in Civil Court. The Commission on Judicial Conduct will reportedly meet on Thursday to decide whether further investigation into the allegation are necessary. Meanwhile, Court Officers are touting new procedures that will empower them to detain wanted defendants and even arrest judges who try to interfere. Justice/Jackass Blackburne was also embroiled in another controversy this week when she escorted a private "security guard" through a jurist's entrance to Queens Supreme Court, bypassing metal detectors and other security protocols in a move reminiscent of the murder of James Davis inside City Hall.

Base10 finds a small aspect of the Blackburne controversy quite disturbing. In several sources, Justice Blackburne has suggested that the detective needed a warrant to make an arrest in these circumstances. Base10 may have missed a few days in law school, but that's not a trivial issue. The law of arrest is very clear and Ms. Blackburne maybe way out of her league. There is absolutely no legal requirement for an arrest warrant in these circumstances and the fact that Blackburne suggests this simply proves she has no business being on the bench. This is not a surprise. Remember, Laura Blackburne was not a practicing attorney at all. She was a political hack that went from appointment to appointment. She owes her current position to the nod of the Queens Democratic Party. It seems the judiciary in Queens is the last refuge of the incompetent. Newsday has its own take on this here.

Groups complaining about the NYPD's protest permit process are threatening to march without them. The Post reports that some groups are threatening protests without a permit on the opening day of the GOP Convention.

Puerto Rican leaders are also blasting the NYPD after what they claim was an overly brutal dispersal of after-Parade revelers in Brooklyn's 72 precinct. Base10 saw the film footage on WNBC last night and it sure looked like a drunken belligerent mob to him.

In some good news, the Department is honoring Sgt. Patrick Beneventi with the Roosevelt Award. The award is given to members of the Department overcoming a medical hardship. The sergeant survived multiple bouts with cancer. Base10 wishes him the best.

And finally, in the "Elmer J. Fudd moment" department, Ms. Alberta Jones of Indiana was trying to shoot a squirrel raiding her bird feeder and instead shot and injured herself by mistake. Apparently she has used both gun shots and firecrackers to keep the squirrels and other varmints away, all to no avail. This time she hit both her legs with shotgun pellets. Base10 suggests she forget about the squirrels and instead concentrate on that rascally rabbit...or a mansion and a yacht or something.

Happy Bloomsday, everyone! Base10 will be enjoying a Bass Ale or two in honor of the hundredth anniversary of Leo Bloom's day in Dublin.
 
You Are Not Going Blind!
Base10 just took a training course in advanced HTML and must say that it was pretty cool! The best part of the course was the section on cascading style sheets (or CSS). You know, the completely incomprehensible part of your blog's template. As a consequence, I've been fiddling with some of the colors and fonts. One of Mrs. Base10's complaints is that the font for links (the <a> tag) does not render well on her Mac browser. I strengthened it a bit and I am playing around with a few other changes. Other complaints by Mrs. Base10 regarding vacation, jewelry or lack of attention will simply have to wait.

I always thought the date header was a little week, so I'm changing that too. My other complaints are of course too trivial to worry about.

One of the other great aspects of the course was that I finally understand how those bizarre web color codes work (i.e. the 00FFCC's). It's really very simple. The first two digits represent red, the second two represent green and the last two are blue. (R-G-B like the old monitors). They are hex numbers. "00" represents the complete absence of that color, to "FF" which represents the most. Using these three values you can make any other color. Simple. Of course. Anyone can do it.
Monday, June 14, 2004
 
Police News Roundup.
Consider this: A small and predominantly white town near Columbus, Ohio is planning a memorial for a slain Police Officer. The officer in question was killed while guarding a witness against a notorious local criminal. The slain officer happened to be black. A local clergyman however is opposed to this. His reason is that the officer is black and believes that since the town is a white community, it should be honoring a white officer instead. Three questions immediately come to mind:

Now, Base10 apologizes to Columbus, Ohio. Nothing of the kind happened there. It happened in Jamaica, Queens. And the slain officer in question was not black, he was white. The clergyman in question, Rev. Charles Norris of the Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church, believes that a PAL center to be named after Edward Byrne should be named after a black officer instead. Byrne was rookie cop when he was shot and killed in 1988 while guarding a witness who was to testify against local drug dealers "Fat Cat" Nichols and Pappy Mason. Three questions immediately come to mind:

The Daily News has an interesting story about two unfortunate men named Otis Wilson. They happened to be born on the same day. However, one is a law abiding citizen and the other is a wanted criminal. Unfortunately, the good Otis has been arrested several times in place of the bad Otis. Let's hope this gets straightened out.

Mayor Mike has joined the fray and is now calling for the ouster of Justice/Jackass Laura Blackburne after she allowed a wanted felon to escape from her courtroom knowing a police detective was waiting to arrest him. Good for you, Mr. Mayor!

Michael Daly also has a piece about Blackburne's history with the Housing Police when she was Chairman of the Housing Authority. In fairness, she did get the ball rolling on police facility renovations that were long overdue. But her participation in a police raid and her supposed "death threats" were clearly political grandstanding.

Speaking of Justice/Jackass Blackburne, the Times bemoans the unavailability of information about Supreme Court Justices. This is true, it's almost impossible for the public to easily get any information of this type.

The Daily News has a nice profile of Capt. Douglas Ralston, Commanding Officer of the 115 Precinct. The article notes the fact that Capt. Ralston is returning to the precinct where he grew up.

Also in the News, a judge has ruled that Sgt. Eileen Barry can proceed with a $1 million lawsuit against the Department. The case involves retaliation against Barry after she became embroiled in a scandal involving falsified reports of truants by members of her unit. A judge has said the case illustrates how the so-called Blue Wall of Silence endures among New York's Finest.

There was a pretty horrific murder in Maspeth Queens on Sunday. Eighteen year-old Michael Desiderio hacked a friend to death with a Japanese sword.

The Post had a very nice story about Lt. Daniel O'Keefe who is slated to win the Department's Medal of Valor for bravery during 9/11. This in itself is great news, but it seems that O'Keefe's grandfather, Lt. Edward Quinn, won the same medal almost one hundred years ago. Quinn was a rookie at the time and chased an apprehended a suspect in spite of being shot in the leg. This is some family!

Newsday has a weird story about Darius McCollum, a man who has been arrested 20 times for impersonating transit workers. In his latest incident he was found in an LIRR facility in possession of restricted keys.

And finally, in the "savage breast" department, Nigerian police officers were caught singing along with a crowd of striking local workers and a local pop star. Nigerian Police officials deny that the police were joining in with the protestors. Instead, they suggested that the officers were in fact using music to calm the group so that they would not get out of hand. Who knew Nigeria had its own version of "Cop Rock?"
Saturday, June 12, 2004
 
Police News Roundup.
There is predictable follow-up to yesterday's news about Supreme Court Justice/Jackass Laura Blackburne. Police and Court Officer Unions are calling for her ouster and a criminal investigation. Base10 gets a kick out of some of the statements in this Times article. For example, from the first paragraph,

Throughout her career, Laura D. Blackburne...has been a polarizing figure, making headlines and attracting ever-growing factions of supporters and critics.

As if there is some moral justification for allowing this defendant to escape from Police detectives. But there's more:

[Blackburne's] supporters were equally vociferous yesterday in commending her decision, calling it another example of her upholding of the law and the Constitution in the face of police intimidation.

What part of the Constitution empowers judges to interfere with Police operations? As union officials pointed out, the arrest of the defendant would have been safer had it been conducted inside the courthouse since he had already gone through metal detectors. I must have missed this class in law school. It gets even better:

[Blackburne's supporters] accused the police of trying to demonize and intimidate the justice just as they had done to Justice Bruce M. Wright, who was accused of setting low bail or no bail for suspects.

That's great! Put yourself in the same class as "Turn-em-Loose" Bruce! How appropriate, especially under these circumstances. Justice Blackburne doesn't wait for sentencing to cut defendants loose, she lets them escape before they can be taken into custody.

Meanwhile, the lawyer Ron Kuby defended Justice Blackburne and accused the police of "judge baiting."
"She showed tremendous judicial courage by finally drawing a line and telling the police she will not tolerate being lied to," he said. "She's supposed to trust the honesty of a detective who just lied to her face when he turns around and says he has sufficient evidence to make an arrest?"

I guess if Ron Kuby is on your side, then you're fighting the good fight. It is not some political hack drug court judge's job to determine whether a detective has probable cause for an arrest. There's a judicial system for this. That's what arraignment judges and grand juries are for. Mr. Kuby knows that. He's an attorney. But he's not interested in the truth. He's just interested in protecting a fellow traveler. The whole attitude of this story is pretty much that there's two sides to this story. There are not. An elected judge let a violent felon escape from police custody even though she knew that he was to be arrested outside of her courtroom. There is no case of moral equivalence here.

Speaking of fellow travelers, prosecutors will introduce statements by Osama bin Laden against "activist" lawyer Lynne Stewart. Bin Laden stated his intention to free Abdel Rahman, Stewart's client. The prosecutor contends that Stewart was aware of these statements and in spite of them, conspired to allow Rahman's followers to communicate to him in violation of a court order.

The Department's legal fight with NYCLU continues. Representatives from "United for Peace and Justice" failed to meet with Department representatives over alternatives to their suit to allow them to protest in Central Park.

The Times also had a profile of Van Scatliffe, a Police Department tow truck driver and his thankless job.

And finally, in the "you're no fun anymore" department, the German national soccer team's doctor has warned the players not to engage in sex before their match and to drink plenty of water. The Russian players apparently have other ideas.
 
Sunday Morning Shoutfest Preview.
On Meet the Press, Tim Russert interviews Colin Powell, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iraqi interim president Ghazi al-Yawar.

On This Week with George Something-or-Other, George Stephanopoulos talks with Colin Powell and Iraqi interim president Ghazi al-Yawar. I guess those wacky guys at DARPA have revved up their space/time matter transportation device again. And this time, their using it on the Iraqi interim president.

On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace interviews Sen. Joseph Biden and--you guessed it--Secretary of State Colin Powell. I guess they couldn't get al-Yawar. Or maybe it has something to do with that power loss in Iraq this week.

Apparently unwilling to use the space/time transporter this week, Face the Nation, Bob Schieffer interviews Sen. Arlen Specter, Dr. James Dobson and TIME reporter Karen Tumulty.

Friday, June 11, 2004
 
Open Source Pharmaceuticals?
There is a really interesting article in The Economist about using the open source software model (aka Linux) for the development of other technologies, particularly medical research. The writer argues that the collaborative effort seen in the Linux community could revitalize pharmaceutical research and eliminate the inequalities of the current patent system (via Slashdot).
 
Police News Roundup.
Police Officer Bryan Conroy was indicted for second-degree manslaughter in the 2003 shooting death of Ousmane Zongo in a Chelsea warehouse. Officer Conroy pleaded not guilty and was released on bond.

State Supreme Court Justice/Jackass Laura Blackburne was responsible for the escape of a violent felon from her courtroom. It seems that Derek Sterling, a defendant appearing before Justice/Jackass Blackburne on unrelated drug charges was being sought for a violent robbery by NYPD detectives. A detective who was waiting outside Justice/Jackass Blackburne's courtroom found to his surprise that the defendant had been allowed to use a side door through the Justice/Jackass's chambers to leave the courthouse. Here's the story in the Post, the Daily News and Newsday.

Commissioner Kelly suggested that Justice/Jackass Blackburne be investigated for judicial misconduct. (Not in quite those words, of course). Base10 suggests she be arrested for obstruction of justice (in NYS it's called "Obstructing Governmental Administration"). It is common practice to arrest a defendant after he has made an unrelated appearance. It's generally even in the defendant's best interest since he'll have counsel present who will invoke his sixth amendment rights--as happened in this case. There is no state law that precludes a police officer from making an arrest in a courtroom. It's done this way to allow the judge to do his or her work without disruption. Does the Police Department have to surround the courtroom now and send armed men into a judge's chambers because the judge is actively having the suspect elude police? In Ms. Blackburne's case, apparently yes!

New Yorkers should remember Laura Blackburne. Back when she was the Chairperson/Jackass of the Housing Authority, she spent $3000 of public money on a leather couch for her office. After her stint as Chairperson/Jackass, she became a judge. She most recently became emerged in controversy when she released William Hodges who was awaiting trial in the shooting of a police officer.

The Times had an interesting thought piece on the MTA's proposed ban on photographs in the subway and how when coupled with the Mayor's proposed crackdown on noise. The new police would allow officers to use their judgment about whether noise was too loud and not objective criteria such as a sound meter. The writer predicts it will have a negative effect on police/community relations. Base10 predicts that the proposal is unconstitutionally vague and will be quickly struck down.

Heroes:
Goats:

And finally, in the "did America give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" department, the AP is reporting that seven middle school students were arrested for engaging in a food fight in Waterbury Connecticut. The fight resulted in minor injuries to a detective and two teachers. We all know of the dangers of cafeteria food, but my God, that must have been some rotten fruit cup!
 
Friday and the Weekend.
Base10 has not been as productive this week as he would have liked. (At least so far as blogging goes. Base10 is certain his employer is happy with his productivity this week, which could account for the fall-off of blog entries. I really must speak to my boss...)

Base10 really has had a busy week so far. And weird things have been happening. What with the talking dogs and electric cows on Slashdot, how is one to make sense of the world?

Base10 will try to get to some Police News later in the day and promises a full weekend of blogging fun. This really just might possibly be the official "Rockaway Beach Blog" weekend. We'll see!
 
That Was Easy!
It looks like blogger doesn't like pictures over 360x450 pixels or there about. Now the pictures seem to render fine. I have an old Sony Mavica digital camera. It actually uses floppies. I bought it because I figured that the digital media wars would last forever and everybody has a floppy drive, right? Well, none of my current computers have one. I do have a USB floppy drive. I like this camera though. It's really easy to use and the pictures seem to come out fine for web page use. This maybe only the beginning of photoblogging for Base10.
 
Pardon the Interruption.
The photos in Base10's last post have caused something unusual to happen. The blog rolls to the right have disappeared. I'm removing the photo post for now to bring things back to normal until I can figure out how to fix things. (Perhaps make the photos smaller?) The weird thing is that the page seemed to render just fine until yesterday. Base10 assumes there is some sort of paranormal explanation. For example, it may have something to do with the transit of Venus.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
 
Police Museum.
This past Saturday, Base10 took Mrs. Base10 to the Police Museum. As a special exhibit they had their annual antique police car display. While Base10 does not usually go for this type of thing, he must admit that he had a very good time. Most of these vehicles have been lovingly restored and maintained by retired members of various police departments and their families. Base10 dug out the digital camera and snapped some images. (Caveat: I did not get detailed information about any of the vehicles and did this solely for the purpose of practicing use of the image tag).


This seemed to be the oldest NYPD vehicle there. I think it is from the 40's. It was very neat because it had a stickshift. And it was so small. I mean really small. How did two guys sit in there?


Then there was this one from the 50's I think. Can't you just picture someone saying, "Clancy, take the boys and surround the house!"


A police car with fins? Astonishing! Are you sure that's not the Batmobile?


Can't you just picture Burt Reynolds getting out of this car on that old police show "NYPD?" This car screams polyester.


Here is another example of that 70's car from a different angle.


One Adam Twelve...One Adam Twelve...Please respond to a dispute...


Base10 doesn't know what jurisdiction it was from, but this was a pretty cool three-wheeled motorcycle.


Last but not least, this patrol car is part a small group of vehicles on permanent display at the Museum. It is a Housing Police car that utilized the colors from before the merger in 1994 with the city police. Now if you want to feel old and decrepit like me, consider this: Base10 used to drive this car on patrol.

That's it. If the images seem to be displaying okay, I may do more photo blogging.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
 
Requiem for a President.
The blogging community is devoting many column inches to the death of President Reagan. Base10 has no wish to repeat what has been so eloquently stated by many others. Indeed, Allah warns that every single blog need not repeat Reagan's imperative to the Soviet Union the tear down the Berlin wall.

Base10 is very saddened by Reagan's death. Base10's first vote cast for president of these United States was for Ronald Reagan. Reagan's death is not only a personal tragedy for his family but also a reminder of the mortality of my generation.

There are a few things worth mentioning. I find it astonishing that Mikhail Gorbachev will attend Reagan's funeral. Not astonishing in a bad sense, mind you. Base10 marvels at how the world has changed! There was a time when these men seemed as if they were close to starting a nuclear war. Even Gobachov gives Reagan credit for being "instrumental" in ending the Cold War. The New York Times however damns with faint praise. Here is a quote from the lead story on Reagan's death:
It was Mr. Reagan's good fortune that during his time in office the Soviet Union was undergoing profound change, eventually to collapse, setting off a spirited debate over Mr. Reagan's role in ending the cold war. His supporters argued that his tough policies were the coup de grace and his detractors attributed the end to the accumulated influence of 45 years of the American policy of containment. But wherever the credit was due, the thaw came on his watch.


This is the Times exposition of the Liberal position. Reagan wasn't responsible for the end of the Cold War. It was the inexorable force of history that led to the downfall of the Soviet Union.

Not to be out done on international issues--and apparently unwilling to cut a break to a dead Republican president--the Times today also notes that Reagan's domestic agenda hurt cities. The Times pithily entitles this article NYC: Reality Check During Time of Mourning. Base10 is amused by this quote from Mayor Koch mad in 1986:
Regrettably, the Reagan administration has welshed on our nation's longstanding bipartisan obligation to provide low-income housing, and I call upon the president to reverse this heartless and shortsighted policy.


Now Mayor Koch today attributes this to political rhetoric and lavishly praised Reagan's legacy. Something obviously the Times is wont to do. (Base10 always liked Ed Koch, but please Mr. Mayor, take note of the lesson of Economics 101 . If you want to create a market for affordable housing like other cities have, try eliminating rent control, like all other citties have).

For a more thorough wrap of the Times "coverage" of Reagan's death, see this really interesting story on CBS News about the issue.

But the Times's shabby treatment of the late President pales in comparison to that of our Irish allies. British rock singer Morrissey was performing before a crowd in Dublin when he announced that Ronald Reagan had died. The crowd cheered. He then said he wished it were Bush and not Reagan. The crowd cheered louder.
It seems that Manchester Online has closed comments to this story. A brief screening indicates almost universal contempt for Morrissey's comments. Some of Base10's favorites:

There are a great many similar comments. Read more.

Comments do still seem to be open on this site. Perhaps the most amusing thing about this board is that the most frequently posted comment seems to along the lines of: "Who is Morrissey?"

Saturday, June 05, 2004
 
Ronald Reagan's Death.
Base10 has just seen a report on Fox News that President Reagan has passed away. Base10 is sad, and he gives his condolences to the family. President Reagan lingered for a long time. This is very hard on families and Base10 is glad that they have this closure. But the nation should also weep for the loss of one of the greatest Presidents of the 20th Century. Maybe the greatest. Ronald Reagan won the Cold War and set America on the right path (and I don't mean politically). He will be missed by any loyal citizen.
 
Police News Roundup.
The Times has an intersting piece on the emergency response system--or lack thereof--in Suffolk County.

The Mayor has slammed the Feds, claiming that they are using the distribution of Homeland Security funds as a "political slush-fund." There is some truth to this, but unfortunately, throwing Federal anti-terrorism money to New York is like putting it into a big sink-hole. I'd support the Mayor more in this if he'd be as concerned about the shameful compensation level of his police officers. He's gleefully accepted that the City spend less than other cities in this regard. What does he want more federal money for? When I see this money doing some good instead of going into the pocket of some political hack consultant or contractor, I'll change my mind.

The New York State Attorney General thinks that Sikh's should be given the right to wear religious attire on-duty and not the uniform other members of the Police Department are required to wear. Let's see, Arab Police Officers wearing kaffiyehs in Hasidic Williamsburg. Officers in yarmulkes patroling Atlantic Avenue in Park Slope. In this way, the Dapartment can mimic the racial violence from all around the world in our own city! Base10 is sympathetic to this issue, but must reiterate a proposition from his previous posts: there is no US jurisdiction that recognizes this right, a fact conveniently left out of the Times article.

The Times also has a follow-up piece about the NYCLU lawsuit regarding use of metal pens for crowd control in demonstrations planned for the upcoming Republican National Convention.

In the bizzare case of the theft of the Salvador Dali painting in Riker's Island, former Corrections Asst. Dep. Warden, Benny Nuzzo was acquitted of the theft. Two other Correction Officers face charges and the drawing has never been recovered.

Two detectives are claiming that working at Ground Zero in the aftermath of 9/11 caused them to have serious illnesses. One has leukemia and the other was diagnosed with abnormal kidney function.

The Post reports that the father of an emotionally disturbed man is suing the city as a result of the man's death in custody. Jose Mateo, the deceased, was violent and had to be subdued. He later had a fatal heart attack on the way to the Hospital. Sounds like cocaine psychosis to Base10.

FDNY arrest watch. Gerard Pirraglia, a 20-year firefighter, was arrested after the City Island Bar that he owned was inspected by NYPD members and cocaine was discovered on the premises. Base10 wants to know why this is not a conflict of interest. The City's Administrative Code is rather explicit in its prohibition on working or having an ownership interest in a business that is regulated by the agency for which you work. FDNY surely regulates the industry--you've seen all those "occupancy by more than xxx persons is punishable by xxx" signs. Interestingly, there was no mention of disciplinary charges against the firefighter in the article.

Not to outdone by the FDNY in the misconduct department, Detective Mark Faljean was cross-examined in his trial regarding sexual abuse he allegedly committed against a colleague's girlfriend.

Heroes:
Goats:
And finally, in the "you're no fun anymore" department, Russian regional government authorities have issued guidelines for their female employees to wear less revealing clothes. The agency's spokesman stated, "Of course, a woman must attract a man's attention, but not so much as to overstep norms and arouse not business-like but only animal instincts." Base10's promises to hold his animal instincts under control for the rest of the weekend.
 
Sunday Morning Shoutfest Preview.
Base10's lineup was partially sidelined by the French Open last week. He notes the following guests will appear on the talk shows tomorrow:

On This Week With That George Guy, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Sen. Chuck Hagel, Sen. Dick Durbin, Bob Woodward and George Will.

Appearing on Meet the Press is National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Sen. Pat Roberts, Sen. John Rockefeller,Tom Brokaw, Tom Hanks, and Steven Spielberg (remember it's the D-Day Anniversary). Note special French Open time of 8:00AM.

On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace interviews--you guessed it--National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice along with Sen. Joseph Biden.

Appearing on Face the Nation is Secretary of State Colin Powell and Evan Thomas. (I guess the fact that everybody isn't interviewing Condoleezza Rice means those guys over at DARPA are still getting the kinks out of their space/time continuum matter transportation device).
Friday, June 04, 2004
 
Police News Roundup.
The Times has an interesting item about the possible repeal of the 1974 Rockefeller drug laws. Base10 sees both sides of this issue, but would rather the legislature err on the side of keeping drug dealers in jail. Short sentences mean that jail can be viewed as a cost of doing business and make the idea of selling drugs that much more appealing. Let's face it, if you deal you're unlikely to be arrested on any given day. However, you are likely to be arrested say, once a year. If the probable punishment is a slap on the wrist, you're more likely to deal anyway. The short sentence is a fixed cost, like the water bill.

Detectives released a person of interest in the subway shooting of model/actress Monica Meadows yesterday. Although fitting the description of the shooter, the man turned himself in. His account apparently satisfied investigators.

The Post is reporting that the FBI has sharply criticized the NYPD for crediting Detective George Corey for being solely responsible for the arrest of London's Islamic Cleric/Homicidal Maniac Abu Hamza al-Masri.

Testimony began yesterday in the suit by the self-styled defenders of our civil liberties, the NYCLU against the city regarding its crowd control tactics during the upcoming Republican National Convention. The NYCLU claims that the use of metal pens and Police horses should be right out! NYCLU Director Donna Lieberman said NYC has "a fundamental constitutional obligation, to be as welcoming to those that come to protest...as it is to the convention." Yes Donna, but don't other New Yorkers have a right to be safe from the riots we've seen in DC, Seattle and elsewhere? Are the protesters the only ones with civil liberties?

In another unusual privatization of law enforcement, the Times Square Alliance has funded bomb-sniffing canine patrols for the area. The organization has acquired three dogs and will conduct random patrols.

Heroes:
Goats:
And finally, in the "art imitating luncheon meats" department, a Brooklyn "artist" has created a bed enrobed with ham in a midtown hotel window display. The article is quite funny. The artist, Cosimo Cavallaro, has previously worked in cheese having covered the inside of a hotel room with mozzarella. But the Italian Cavallaro wants to work in ham now, rejecting prosciutto as being too "pompous." Now if he could only find an artist who worked in bread, then we'd have something!
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
 
Police News Roundup.
Three cheers for Mayor Mike! Mayor Bloomberg is sponsoring a plan to sharply reduce the amount of money those who do business with the city can contribute to political campaigns. The proposal will limit contributions to $250 and, more importantly, eliminate public matching funds for such contributions. Base10 thinks this is a great idea. Under the current system, those campaigning for office can get four-to-one matching funds for every dollar they receive. There is no reason the taxpayer should pay four times the amount some lobbyist is giving a politician to get a contract.

New York City was alerted to the possibility of a "gas utility" bomb threat as outlined by federal authorities as justification for the detention of Jose Padilla. The Department noted it was told of the threat back in January.

Two fifteen year-old girls who initially claimed to have been gang raped in Central Park yesterday by a group of strangers, changed their story. The girls now say the attacks occurred in a Bronx apartment and they were attacked by young men they know.

Police are looking for the man who shot Monica Meadows, an up and coming model and actress on the uptown W train yesterday. The perpetrator is described as scruffy-looking with a medium build. The victim was struck in the shoulder and is recovering.

ABC News has an interesting story about tours being given at Governors Island in the harbor. The Island has an interesting history and has been closed to the public for more than two hundred years.

Heroes:
Goats:
And finally, in the "band of bunnies" department, three New Hampshire women who dressed as mall Easter Bunnies for photos with children have been arrested for stealing thousands of dollars from their photo studio employer. The three even disabled a nearby ATM so clients would have to pay in cash. Base10 thinks this crime is pretty "hare"'y.
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
 
Sports Notes.
Today is June 1, the NFL cut day, and it looks like a New York sports era is coming to an end. Although not announced yet, Vinny Testaverde will likely be released by the Jets today. There is a strong possibility that Vinny will sign with Dallas and rejoin Bill Parcells, the coach responsible for resurrecting his career. But others are reporting that Testaverde might sign with the Patriots to play behind Tom Brady and maybe get a Super Bowl Ring. (Scroll down at the link). Base10 wishes Vinny well and hopes he gets that ring if that's what he wants. Vinny brought the Jets back to respectability and brought us to the AFC championship game. He also suffered a torn Achilles' Tendon that ended a season. Base10 will be retiring his Testaverde jersey and will give it an honored position in his closet.

A little news about Wayne Chrebet came up this week. He gave an interview to Jets Insider and made the frank admission that he is going to have to wait to get hit before he can say whether he's 100%. Off the field, Chrebet purchased a stake in Southwind Elian, a trotter that many consider has a chance to win the Hambletonian.

Meanwhile, on the west side stadium front, the Mayor slammed Cablevision for leading an ad blitz targeted at stopping the stadium deal.

Base10 was happy to see the Mets win a rain-soaked game against Philly yesterday, ending a four game slide that included a sweep by the division leading Marlins. They are two games below .500 right now, and a successful finish in the series against Philly would help, especially with the strong part of the rotation about to pitch and the probable return of Al Leiter on Tuesday. Of more concern is the four-game series against Florida at Shea starting on Thursday. Well, the Mets have a chance to get their revenge. The series against the Marlins were not blowouts, and once again point to weak middle relief in the bullpen. Only time will tell if the Mets can solve this problem.

Our uptown cousins seem to be doing quite well. They have taken the division lead from the Red Sox but face a decent Baltimore team and a strong Texas squad as opponents this week. Meanwhile, the Bosox have a two-game series against strong Anaheim but then face basement dwelling Kansas City.

In other sports news, the Williams sisters have been eliminated from the French open. Serena was defeated by Jennifer Capriati, while Venus lost to Anastasia Myskina.
 
Police News Roundup.
It's a slow news day today, not unexpected after a holiday weekend. But here is what's out there:

A severed hand fell from the sky and landed on a long island boat on Sunday. Nassau County Police are investigating.

Bronx firefighters are claiming that they are being harrassed by members of the Police Department assigned to Highway District No. 1 in the Bronx.

Renovations at the 66th PRecinct uncovered the 52 year-old investigative file regarding the murder of Arnold Schuster, a Brooklyn man who identified Willie Sutton to the police in 1952. The crime remains unsolved, but Detective William McKeever is still alive and 86 years-old. Base10 has had some contact with other units about this very same issue. Unfortunately, there is no central repository or system to preserve records like this.

In another not-quite-so-old-case, federal officials are reopening the investigation into the murder of mobster Dominick Napolitano, who was purportdly murdered for introducing FBI undercover Donnie Brasco to fellow mobsters.

Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes has reportedly signed a book deal for a crime novel with St. Martin Press.

The trial started today in the case of a mistaken apartment raid by the Police in Borough Park, Brooklyn in 1996. The plaintiff, Ann Roman, had a heart attack that night but just died in 2002--nearly six years later. Plaintiff's are claiming that Roman's death is a result of the raid. No wonder the city is insisting the case go to trial.

The NYCLU, self-styled protectors of our civil liberties, has complained about a new system giving access to federal terrorism databases to local law enforcement officers in New York and Vermont. They claim the new system will create an "enormous risk" of unjustified detentions. That's a risk we'll just have to take.

Heroes:
Goats:
And finally, in the "that's not much of a disguise" department, two Peruvian mayors fled from angry mobs accusing them of corruption and theft. The mayors had to dress up like policemen to be spirited away from the angry crowds and are now in hiding. Base10 thinks they should keep the uniforms, since they might need to find new work very shortly.

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