April 23, 2011
BRUCE A. BRENNAN BLOG FROM THE WORLD AND MY MIND
The news as I see it and the views as I want them.
April 23 is … Read Me Day and World Laboratory Animal Day
Not a good day to be a lab rat, mouse or monkey; such is life.
Authors like Read Me Day. What a great day to order an ebook. I happen to have a couple in mind. See below.
What a waste of good looks. This broad should be the best looking bar whore in her local pub not an attention grabbing petty criminal. Lindsay Lohan was ordered taken into custody and led out of a courtroom Friday, returning again to a Los Angeles County jail after being sentenced to 120 days for violating her probation by taking a designer necklace.
It was a déjà vu day for the starlet, who was admonished by a judge - the fourth she's faced in nearly a year - who said she thought the actress had intentionally taken the $2,500 necklace from an upscale Venice store and shown poor judgment in not trying to return it until police became involved. But by reducing the actress' charge from felony grand theft to a misdemeanor, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner may have set in motion what has become a familiar cycle for Lohan - being sent to jail only to have the sentence cut short due to jail overcrowding.
Lohan's attorney Shawn Holley filed a notice of appeal right before court closed, clearing the way for the actress' release within hours. Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers, who presented four witnesses who described Lohan's conduct in the jewelry store and with the necklace, said her office would consider appealing the ruling as well. "We believe there was a clear abuse of discretion," she said.
Sautner agreed with Meyers that Lohan showed intent to keep the necklace, and said that she thought Lohan's conduct probably warranted a felony. "I see the intent here," Sautner said. "I see a level of brazenness with 'Let me see what I can get away with here.'" But the judge said felony grand theft cases involving higher-valued goods are often reduced to the misdemeanor level and thought it was appropriate in Lohan's case. "I'm going to give her an opportunity," the judge said. She also said she hoped to give the "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday" star a dose of perspective by sentencing her to almost 500 hours of community service, including time at the county morgue and 300 hours at a women's shelter.
Lohan did not visibly react to the sentence. She cried earlier in the day when Holley told Sautner that Lohan had been punished enough, and recounted the treatment programs the actress has completed since her first arrest for drunken driving in 2007. Her father, Michael Lohan, put his hands over his face at times Friday and bolted from the courtroom after his daughter was led away by sheriff's personnel.
It was the fourth time Lohan has been sentenced to jail, although two of the trips amounted to a few hours. Last summer, she spent 14 days in jail on a 90 day sentence. The actress did not address the court during Friday's hearing, but frequently conferred with Holley and shook her head when witnesses described some of her actions inside the jewelry store, Kamofie & Co. Lohan has been a courthouse fixture since last May when she missed a hearing in her drunken driving case. Since then, two judges have sent her to jail twice and rehab, also twice. She rejected two plea offers to end the necklace case early, including one in which Meyers was seeking six months in jails, the prosecutor said Friday.
Meyers' witnesses included two police officers who handled the stolen necklace case, including one who received it from Lohan's assistant after detectives obtained a search warrant - which was never served - to retrieve it from the actress' home. The investigative detective also testified that she verified the actress wore the necklace days after it was taken and was photographed with it by paparazzi.
Lohan made three visits within a week to a jewelry store that accused her of stealing the necklace but never purchased anything before leaving with the item, the shop's owner testified. Sofia Kaman said she waited a day to report the necklace stolen because Lohan had told her she would return the next day to purchase a ring. The actress never returned. The first time Kaman saw Lohan since the Jan. 22 store visit was Friday. Kaman says she did not have any agreement with Lohan allowing her to leave the store with the necklace.
Lohan was wearing two of her own necklaces when entered the store, and she wore both pieces to court on Friday, taking them off at one point while her attorney cross-examined Kaman. Holley showed Kaman the necklaces and questioned her about why she didn't notice the actress was still wearing the store's necklace, even though Lohan's neck - and by Holley's description, cleavage - were clearly visible.
Lohan's attorney Shawn Holley filed a notice of appeal right before court closed, clearing the way for the actress' release within hours. Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers, who presented four witnesses who described Lohan's conduct in the jewelry store and with the necklace, said her office would consider appealing the ruling as well. "We believe there was a clear abuse of discretion," she said.
Sautner agreed with Meyers that Lohan showed intent to keep the necklace, and said that she thought Lohan's conduct probably warranted a felony. "I see the intent here," Sautner said. "I see a level of brazenness with 'Let me see what I can get away with here.'" But the judge said felony grand theft cases involving higher-valued goods are often reduced to the misdemeanor level and thought it was appropriate in Lohan's case. "I'm going to give her an opportunity," the judge said. She also said she hoped to give the "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday" star a dose of perspective by sentencing her to almost 500 hours of community service, including time at the county morgue and 300 hours at a women's shelter.
Lohan did not visibly react to the sentence. She cried earlier in the day when Holley told Sautner that Lohan had been punished enough, and recounted the treatment programs the actress has completed since her first arrest for drunken driving in 2007. Her father, Michael Lohan, put his hands over his face at times Friday and bolted from the courtroom after his daughter was led away by sheriff's personnel.
It was the fourth time Lohan has been sentenced to jail, although two of the trips amounted to a few hours. Last summer, she spent 14 days in jail on a 90 day sentence. The actress did not address the court during Friday's hearing, but frequently conferred with Holley and shook her head when witnesses described some of her actions inside the jewelry store, Kamofie & Co. Lohan has been a courthouse fixture since last May when she missed a hearing in her drunken driving case. Since then, two judges have sent her to jail twice and rehab, also twice. She rejected two plea offers to end the necklace case early, including one in which Meyers was seeking six months in jails, the prosecutor said Friday.
Meyers' witnesses included two police officers who handled the stolen necklace case, including one who received it from Lohan's assistant after detectives obtained a search warrant - which was never served - to retrieve it from the actress' home. The investigative detective also testified that she verified the actress wore the necklace days after it was taken and was photographed with it by paparazzi.
Lohan made three visits within a week to a jewelry store that accused her of stealing the necklace but never purchased anything before leaving with the item, the shop's owner testified. Sofia Kaman said she waited a day to report the necklace stolen because Lohan had told her she would return the next day to purchase a ring. The actress never returned. The first time Kaman saw Lohan since the Jan. 22 store visit was Friday. Kaman says she did not have any agreement with Lohan allowing her to leave the store with the necklace.
Lohan was wearing two of her own necklaces when entered the store, and she wore both pieces to court on Friday, taking them off at one point while her attorney cross-examined Kaman. Holley showed Kaman the necklaces and questioned her about why she didn't notice the actress was still wearing the store's necklace, even though Lohan's neck - and by Holley's description, cleavage - were clearly visible.
"I wasn't looking at her chest," Kaman said. "I was looking at her face."
It is unclear what effect the sentence may have on Lohan's next acting role. Producers of the film "Gotti: Three Generations" announced on Wednesday that Lohan had been cast to play the wife of John Gotti Jr. in the film. She told The Associated Press afterward she didn't think her court case would affect her work. "I think in the past, I had a lot of distractions," she said. "I've learned a lot. I've lived a lot. When I'm on set, it's about the film."
It is unclear what effect the sentence may have on Lohan's next acting role. Producers of the film "Gotti: Three Generations" announced on Wednesday that Lohan had been cast to play the wife of John Gotti Jr. in the film. She told The Associated Press afterward she didn't think her court case would affect her work. "I think in the past, I had a lot of distractions," she said. "I've learned a lot. I've lived a lot. When I'm on set, it's about the film."
I mentioned a few columns ago about how the leader of North Korea had shot some ridiculously low golf score. I found the article from 2004 and it is reprinted below.
Special to World Tribune.com
EAST-ASIA-INTEL.COM
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Move over Tiger: N. Korea's Kim shot 38 under par his 1st time out. Tiger Woods couldn't hold a candle to North Korea's Kim Jong-Il, if the nation's government-controlled media reports are to be believed.
South Korea's Pyeonghwa (Peace) Motors Corporation plans to stage an inter-Korean golf game next month in the North's capital city of Pyongyang, company officials say. "We have agreed with North Korean authorities to hold a friendly golf competition between the two Koreas from July 30 to Aug. 5 at a golf course in Pyongyang," said an official at Pyeonghwa Motors, which has started a business venture in North Korea.
Fortunately for all entrants, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il will not be playing. If the official government media is to be believed, Kim is easily the greatest golfer, the world has ever seen.
Pyongyang media say Kim enjoys golf, having shot multiple holes-in-one during his first try at the game. He reportedly aced five holes and finished 38 under par on the golf course. The "Dear Leader" routinely shoots three or four holes-in-one per round, the government-controlled media reported.
The event, touted as a "golf game for peaceful unification of Korea," will be attended by South Korea's top 15 female golfers, including LPGA players, 30 businesspersons and 20 singers and movie stars, the official said.
From the North's side, eight female amateur players and dozens of government officials as well as foreign diplomats in Pyongyang would also take part in the friendly game, he said. "They will compete in a 36-hole [competition] for the prize money of 100 million Won ($86,000)," the official said. Park Sang-Kwon, the company's president, was in Pyongyang to work out the details, he said.
North Korea has only one 18-hole golf course in Pyongyang. The North's media have said the 7,000-meter (7,700-yard) course is "in full line with international standards." The course, built in the mid-1980s by North Korean businessmen based in Japan, "bustled with Pyongyang citizens, overseas Koreans and foreigners," the North's official Korean Central News Agency said. Surrounded by a forest and a scenic lake, golfers can enjoy collecting plants and boating during breaks, it said.
"The course is not bad. North Koreans seemed to keep it well-managed," said a Pyeonghwa Motors official who has frequently traveled to the North.
Kim Dong-Wook, general secretary at South Korea's Golf Association, said golf is almost nonexistent in the North. "We believe there are no professional golfers," he said. Outside their country, North Korean golfers have yet to make their mark.
How can someone believe this crap and how can someone sharp enough to become a national leader think anyone would believe this.
Just a couple of thoughts I had.
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
DEKALB, IL 60115
COPYRIGHT 2011
VISIT ANY OF THE SITES LISTED FOR REVIEW, RESEARCH, ORDERING MY WRITING PRODUCTS OR TO CONTACT ME.
Email: brucebrennanlaw@aol.com
Go to web sites below to buy books by Bruce A. Brennan. It is still a good time to purchase any of my books. The books are interesting and inexpensive reads. My third book should be available later this year, in late 2011. More information will be forthcoming.
http://www.ebookmall.com/ (Do search by my name or book Title)
www.barnesandnoble.com (do a quick search, Title, my name)
www.smashwords.com Do a Title or author search.
Book Titles:
Holmes the Ripper
A Revengeful Mix of Short Fiction
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