A Tale of Three Court Cases: Part Two

Wacko Jacko.

For all the people talking about this case, how can any of them say such vile things as "cut off his nuts" or as ignorant as "Free Jacko."

They don't know if he did it or not. They have no way of knowing. The only people who know for sure are Jackson and his accusers. So for everyone adding their two cents as to whether or not he did it, shut the fuck up.

As always, I'm here to share the real story. And this, to me, is the saddest part.

Jackson settlement from 1993 allegations topped $20 million - Jun 16, 2004: "Jackson agreed to pay $15,331,250 to be held in a trust fund for the accuser, now 24, as well as $1.5 million to each of his parents. The accuser may have also received another seven-figure payment not specified in the agreement. Additionally, the plaintiff's lawyer was slated to receive $5 million."

Back in 1993 when the first (publicized) allegations came out, that suit was settled out of court in 1994. The result? Cold hard cash going to the accuser, his family, and his lawyer in exchange for a promise to stop persuing the matter in courts. Jackson's camp said repeatedly that the settlement was in no way an admission of guilt and I could see a person of his celebrity making such a settlement even if he wasn't guilty.

But what if he was guilty then, and what if he is guilty now?

If the family in 1994 had pushed for justice, maybe that would have prevented any further abuse. Maybe Michael Jackson would be locked up now or maybe he would have gotten psychiatric help.

If he is found guilty, I'd like to see that money stripped from those bought out back in 1994. I'd like to see that money go to children's charities or worthwhile causes like the Kids Help Phone or Children's Aid. I'd like to see those bought out put in jail. They are just as guilty as Jackson (IF he's found guilty)... they have Jackson's cum on their hands... all over again.

Of course that's IF he is guilty.

There is always the chance that this is a money grab as it may have been back in 1993. Jackson may just be an easy target. If that's the case, lock them all up and leave Jackson alone.

I can also see how the 1993 accuser would have taken the money. That family is now set for life. Heck I'd let Jackson blow me for $23 million and Jackson could be damn sure I'd never tell a soul about it.

A Tale of Three Court Cases: Part One

When I turned on my computer this morning all I got was a short "whirr" and a flash of my power light. Panic. I tried again. Nothing. More Panic. I cracked open the case and tried again. Nothing. I flipped the main power switch on the back off and on again. Tried booting up. Same flash as before and I noticed that the fans started spinning oh so briefly before sputtering out. Bloody hell. I put my thinking cap on and remembered what happened when I tried installing the ATI 9800 XT AIW almost a year ago. It did something similar then. I deduced that not enough power was getting to my machine. I unplugged a few things from the circuit and success. Whew.

Anyway back on track.

All the buzz in the past week or so has been around two major court cases in the US. A few people have asked for my thoughts so I will post them starting today. But first, there is another court case that doesn't have the same profile as the others. It finally got resolved today.

Bobby Fischer Heads for Iceland After Japan Release

The great American chess hero Bobby Fischer was released from detention in Japan where he will head to Iceland, which granted him citizenship last week. He has been incarcerated in Japan since July because he is wanted in the US for playing a chess match. No, Bush doesn't want to try out his Gruenfeld against the greatest player who ever lived, the American authorities want him jailed for playing in a chess match back in 1992.

You see, back in the day, Americans were prohibited from performing any activities in the former Yugoslavia and that is where Fischer had his match. Fischer won $3 million for defeating Boris Spassky in a rematch of their 1972 classic which launched Fischer to icondom in the US.

Ok, dudes... the Cold War is over. The match was in 1992, not 1962.

Even Fischer's Cold War rival, Boris Spassky things the charges are rediculous. He wrote Bush a letter himself asking for "charity" and "mercy." Spassky even offered to turn himself in. As a French citizen in 1992, he believes he was an equal participant in Fischer's crime.

An excerpt:
If for some reason it is impossible (to drop charges against Fischer), I would like to ask you the following: Please correct the mistake of President François Mitterand in 1992. Bobby and myself committed the same crime. Put sanctions against me also. Arrest me. And put me in the same cell with Bobby Fischer. And give us a chess set.

Another thing that bothered me in the original story is at the bottom where author Elaine Lies (*cough*) says:

He resurfaced after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. In an interview with a Philippine radio station, Fischer praised the strikes and said he wanted to see America "wiped out."

What a bad man eh?

Well this is what he actually said:

"This is all wonderful news. It is time to finish off the US once and for all.

"I was happy and could not believe what was happening. All the crimes the US has committed in the world. This just shows, what goes around comes around, even to the US.

"I applaud the act. The US and Israel have been slaughtering the Palestinians for years. Now it is coming back at the US."

While still damning and sounding like a nut, Lies selective use of quotes makes it seem far worse than what he actually said. Context is everything. Let me see.. I'll pull a few selective quotes myself.

Sober says Fischer said:

"... could not believe what was happening. All the crimes the US has committed in the world. This just shows, what goes around comes around, even to the US."

Now then... that doesn't seem all too different from this quote:

"You cannot exercise your powers to the point of humiliation for the others. That is what the Western world -- not only the Americans, the Western world -- has to realize. Because they are human beings too. There are long-term consequences,"

"And I do think that the Western world is getting too rich in relation to the poor world and necessarily will be looked upon as being arrogant and self-satisfied, greedy and with no limits. The 11th of September is an occasion for me to realize it even more."

And that was the then Prime Minister, Jean Chretien.

Happy St Patrick's Day

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.

Up the Irish!

Slainte.

New project in the works (teaser)

In the past couple weeks something has pissed me off so much I'm actually doing something about it. If you want a hint you can read the articles below and see where I seem to be pissed off the most.

Tonight I emailed a few people to see if I can meet with them to bounce ideas off them. I hope I get to or at least they write back. I'll get to use my skills to help a cause I've discovered I'm very passionate about. It might mean a lot of work but I think it will be very rewarding. I just want to meet with some of these people to see if my ideas are actually relevant and if my proposed plan will actually help.

Sober on Rye receives first accolade!

A while ago I told you I had submitted the site to BlogsCanada.ca and they have approved my listing. Not only that but they listed the site as being "Cool." You got it playa. I'm officially cool.

Disclaimer: They list blogs automatically under "What's Cool" if the blog links back to BlogsCanada. So no one really thinks I'm cool, I just linked back to them. Oh well. I'll just make this part of the post really small and maybe you'll miss it.

Bombz is Back

Bombz-away.com is back online. Freeze is rating everything left, right and middle.

New Older Posts

New Older Posts? What the heck does that mean?

I had a number of entries in the works but I never got around to finishing them. Blogger and I weren't talking to each other for a while because it lost my huge entry about Howard Hughes.

Anyway, I have finished and posted them, but you'll find them a little bit lower on the page. So scroll down. Or you can jump to them directly with these links:

Bishop Calls for PM's Excommunication

UPDATE: The guy IS a pirate

1000 Blank White Cards

Game in progress. Isn't it fun to be sociable?

Pics later.

Bishop Calls for PM's Excommunication

Bishop Calls for PM's Excommunication

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Calgary wants Martin excommunicated for his plan to legalize same-sex marriage.

Personally I vote for a country-wide interdiction.

Is there some certificate you can get for being excommunicated? I want one signed by the pope. I'd frame it and hang it over my desk along with my Certificate of Normalcy.

Anyway, back to same-sex marriage. What does some Calgary Bishop's opinions have to do with two consenting non-Catholic adult fags living in Montreal? I'm here to tell the Bishop to butt the fuck out! Tell Catholic queers they're going to hell if he must but leave it at that. Don't marry them in your church but for the the love of crack understand that this is a human rights issue! If any two people decide to make a commitment to each other to live as one, they should have the same rights regardless of gender! No one has the right to forbid a couple to make the commitment of marriage. Not the government, not the Pope, and certainly not the Bishop of Calgary.

The only thing all of this talk is doing is cheapening marriage for married couples. They are no longer married because of their love for each other, they are married because the government and/or the church allowed it. This needs to change. Marriage is between two people. It is about their love and their commitment to each other and their union. This must be the focus.

I'm having kittens over here just thinking about all of this.

Gotta get a drink to calm my nerves.

See this post in the archives for more on same-sex marriage.

UPDATE: The guy IS a pirate!

A few days ago I posted about some guy who messaged me asking about biometrics. I took some liberties with him and asked him if he was a pirate. As you read, hilarity ensued. Today he messaged me again.

achyut: Hello captian,after meting u i have read some books about pirate like return by julle varne,some Indian books also etc. now i am loving all pirate.

Land lubber no more, this guy is certifiable... er, certifiably a pirate.

Freeze's thumb

While we're all waiting for Freeze's revamp to be complete, here's a sneak preview of what WILL be back when bombz-away.com returns.

You'll have to wait to see what Freeze gave such an enthusiastic thumbs up to.

Is this guy a pirate?

Alright. Back when I worked in the biometrics industry, part of my job involved scouring the news to figure out industry trends and the like. As such I joined Yahoo! Groups: Biometrics and I quickly figured out one of the problems with the group. Maybe 50 per cent of the users were students (mostly from India) asking others to do their homework for them. Members would repeatedly post that this was not what the group was for and it got pretty tiring for everyone involved.

One of the biggest problems with these students was that they were persistent! Not only that but they were rude and their messages looked like they were from Bumper Stumpers. Très annoying.

So last night as I was working away posting my old entries, I get a message on Yahoo! Messenger from some stranger. Now I don't feel bad about doing this because I thought I was quite clear that I couldn't help him out. Here's the transcript. I'll bold the particularly funny parts for easy reading. Screen names have been changed.

achyut: Hello, I am a biometrics yahoo group member. Can we talk about fingerprints authentication?
sober: Possibly, what would you like to know?
achyut: I want to know how can i capture fingerprints using BioAPI or any other way?
sober: You have hardware?
achyut: yes..
achyut: Veridicom
achyut: and NitGen
achyut: i have both USB scanners with me.
sober: Then I can't really help you. Sorry. I was never in the technical side of things. Most group members would probably consider contacting us this way as being rude. I don't really care.. just a warning.
achyut: can u help me please?
achyut: i have to submit this project as my academic project..
sober: I guessed that from the moment you messaged me.
achyut: at my collge b4 30 april
achyut: ya
sober: Well, you have a little more than two months to figure it out. I hope it goes well.
achyut: yes... thanks...
sober: Hey let me ask you a question...
achyut: sure
sober: Are you a pirate?
achyut: i m a student...
achyut: i m not geting ur question... what does it mean by pirate?
achyut: i m doing this as my academic project
sober: Hmmm.
sober: Are you afraid of getting scurvy?
achyut: nop...
sober: Then you must eat a lot of limes?
achyut: y?
sober: Do you?
achyut: ya
achyut: i do
sober: I wouldn't be afraid of scurvy then either.
sober: Good for you!
achyut: Hey buddy, u didn't told me how can i capture fingerprints using BioAPI...!!
sober: Sorry, what?
achyut: i want to know how to capture fingerprints without using any SDK
sober: You told me that already.
sober: Do you like rum?
achyut: ya... but u didn't replied me about that...
achyut: ye
achyut: i've drunk it too...
sober: It's the best way to have it.
achyut: ya... but let's talk about fingerprints capturing now.
achyut: please
sober: I thought we had already.
achyut: nop
sober: Where are you from?
achyut: from India
sober: Ah India.. lovely place. I would like to visit it someday.
achyut: can u suggest me how can i use BioAPI in capturing fingerprints?
achyut: sure... u r most welcome
sober: Probably lots of shipwrecks and things from the East India Company.
achyut: ya.. but that's the past...
achyut: if u don't mind, should we come to the point?
sober: Yeah but you know what was on all of those ships?
achyut: what?
sober: You see.. it's not about the cash... it's about the booty!
achyut: yeah...
achyut: but what about my fingerprints questions?
achyut: will u please suggest me that?
sober: Which question was that then?
achyut: how to capture fingerprints?
sober: My memory ain't what it used to be.
achyut: without using any SDK?
sober: Old sea dog that I am.
achyut: oh ok...
sober: Oh speaking of questions never answered..
achyut: How can I capture fingerprints without using any kind of SDK?
sober: There it is again..
sober: Are you a pirate?
achyut: what's pirate? i don't know it's meaning
sober: Well you eat limes and drink rum... you're also into booty.
sober: You can't fool me you know.
achyut: ya i m not making u fool...
achyut: i am a student and right now i m doing my academic project on fingerprint authentication which i have to submit latest by 30th april
achyut: so please guide me how can i capture fingerprints without using any SDK
sober: Yes I know.. we've been through this already.
achyut: if possible, please explain me how can i use BioAPI for this purpose.
sober: But you still haven't told me if you're a pirate!
achyut: nop
sober: So... are you a pirate?
achyut: nop
sober: Hmmm... why not?
achyut: because i am a student of Masters of Computer Applications (MCA) at India
sober: But you DO like booty don't you?
achyut: i am having Veridicom USB fingerprint scanner and NitGen USB fingerprint scanner
achyut: y do u feel so?
sober: Don't you like booty?
achyut: y do u feel that i m like booty?
sober: I like booty. Actually I LOVE booty.
achyut: sorry, but i don't know the meaning of booty... please explain me what's that.
achyut: so, will u please guide me how can i capture fingerprints?
sober: Aye! Ye must be a land lubber!
achyut: using BioAPI?
achyut: if u don't mind, can u pass me on some sample codes for that?
sober: It's simple really. You just follow the MAP to the X.
achyut: i guess, u've planned to improve my English today...!!
achyut: how?
achyut: i m very new in this field of biometrics...
achyut: so please guide me from basics...
sober: So I seas!
achyut: yeah
sober: Alright listen.
achyut: ya.. please
sober: I'm trying to light the fire under you to get you into the love of the seas!
sober: And since I'm a pirate, I'm going to help.
sober: But I can't do your project for you... that's a ship you'll have to sail yourself!
achyut: ok
achyut: ya... but atleast u can guide me
achyut: like a compas
achyut: u can become my compas...!!
achyut: can't u?
sober: Like the sirens call I'll give you an "Ahoy matey! Land Ho!" and you'll find your way.
achyut: sure
sober: First. You need a MAP.
sober: When you have your MAP, you should see X.
achyut: k
achyut: then?
BUZZ!
sober: Then you follow your MAP.
sober: Patience ye land lubber! Buzz me again and I'll put you on ignore.
achyut: sorry!
sober: You must follow your path through every minutiae!
achyut: correct
sober: And there at the end of it all you'll find your booty!
achyut: ok...! so, that's the meaning of booty..!!!
sober: Aye!
achyut: but this is all about image processing... isn't it?
achyut: and i want to know how can i capture fingerprints using BioAPI
achyut: yes...
sober: Aye and I'm telling ya as best I can.
achyut: ok... even this'll be too much useful 2 me...
sober: Sometimes the way forwards is the way b ack.
sober: *back
achyut: correct...
achyut: ya i got
sober: Now have I lit the fire under you?
achyut: nop... it's already fired...
achyut: please suggest which language should i use for image processing?
sober: Arrrh! First you must follow the MAP to X!
achyut: yes... correct
sober: That is all I can tell you.
sober: Until you're there, my help will do you no good!
sober: Do you have a mentor?
sober: Or an advisor?
achyut: thank you for your help...
sober: Ask them how to use your MAP to follow the path to X to find the booty!
achyut: no sir, everything i have to on my own
sober: It is all about asking the right questions and listening to the answers!
achyut: right
sober: Then I have given you the right question: "How to use your MAP to follow the path to X to find the booty?"
sober: That is what you must ask the experts! And listen carefully to their answer.
achyut: i have to create a graph from the image file and then read the file... wherever i find the booty, i should store the node in the graph... i hope i m going on right way..
sober: Always listen carefully to answers to your questions.. otherwise there is no point to asking!
achyut: correct... i'll always remember ur advice
achyut: and right now i m asking to an expert!!!
sober: Flattery will get you nowhere. I'm trying to give you your SEA legs!
achyut: right...
sober: I've given you the question.. now you must find the answer, but not from me. This is your academic project remember.
sober: Find the booty!
achyut: ya... i promise u that i'll find the answer...
sober: Good! You want that booty right?
achyut: yeah
achyut: i m very eager to know about it...
sober: Then you're well on your way to being a pirate!
achyut: thank you for your appriciation
sober: Now go forth matey and get your booty by following your MAP to X!
sober: That is the KEY!
achyut: sure...
achyut: thank you for your kind co-operation. i'll surely find my booty with the key u've provided
sober: Aye I'm sure you will too!
achyut: but i hope, next time if i'll need any help, u'll let me contact u
achyut: can i add u in my yahoo msngr?
sober: I have no control over what you do laddie. If you contact me I may not reply, but that doesn't mean you can't contact me.
sober: Anyway laddie.. it is very late in this part of the world so I must get some shut eye.
sober: May the wind be always at your back!
achyut: i m not laddie.. i m a man
sober: Aye but just a laddie until you're a pirate.
sober: Good night to you!
achyut: k
achyut: for me it's morning now...
achyut: so Good morning to you!
sober: Thanks! Bye