| The Argonaut begins review of the year's local stories
Kelly Martin was appointed supervising attorney for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Airport Division and general counsel to Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the city agency that operates Los Angeles World Airways (LAX) and three other airports.Martin, who previously served as chief of staff for former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, was appointed to the position by City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo.As the airport's general counsel, Martin is responsible for supervising attorneys and support staff assigned to provide legal counsel to the airport.Arlington West volunteers in Santa Monica marked the 3,000th U.S. military death in the Iraq War by placing a cross on the beach north of the Santa Monica Pier.The ritual of placing crosses in the sand each Sunday morning began in 2004, a year after the war began.
Ifs and Buts If the CIA hadn't destroyed those tapes, what would be ...
Maybe if we'd had to watch water-boarding as the CIA practiced it in 2002, on a desperate crazy man spewing science fiction rather than truth, the nonsense that torture is effective would never have found any purchase. Finally, there's the 9/11 Commission, which made broad-based, far-reaching requests for evidence relating to the attacks, yet wasn't told about the tapes. The commission's 2004 report relies heavily on the accounts of 10 named detainees, among whom are Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the alleged planner of the 2000 attack on the USS Cole and the second man tortured on the destroyed tapes. The commission called assessing the truth of their statements "challenging." They tried to verify and corroborate the witnesses' statements whenever possible. Still, these accounts are woven into the commission's narrative, and nowhere does the 9/11 report delve into interrogation tactics or make any recommendations about the government's continuing or future practices.
Prison sentence is handed out in classic car scam
His Internet classic car business a fraud, a former Cambria County man has been sentenced to 61/2 years in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $1 million restitution.Authorities said Paul Stephen Zamboni, 46, whose address was listed as the 300 block of Walters Avenue, Cresson, bilked an elderly Wisconsin couple out of $543,000 and swindled others.Zamboni was living in Chandler, Ariz., at the time of the incidents.U.S. District Judge Kim R. Gibson ordered Zamboni to serve an additional three years of supervised probation when he's released from prison.The restitution totaled $993,083, according to a lien filed against Zamboni in the Cambria County prothonotary's office.In the fraudulent car deals, Zamboni offered for sale and promised to deliver a 1969 Chevy Chevelle for $17,000; a 1970 Chevelle for $44,900; a 1967 Chevy Impala for $67,770; a 1970 Plymouth Superbird for $17,345; a 2005 Ford GT for $182,500; and a 2005 BMW M5 for $17,245.In addition, Zamboni also was charged with convincing a Valhalla, N.Y., man to pay $7,500 for Rolex watch advertised on e-Bay.He never followed through with any deliveries, federal authorities said.Though indicted in Arizona, Zamboni pleaded guilty at U.S.
'Special Report' Panel on Spending Bill Showdown
And Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have failed on almost everything in fights with the president. Now Harry Reid was right about one thing. They have tried over the whole year to change what's going on in Iraq. They wanted to either curtail or end the war in Iraq. And that would have been a big change if they could have achieved it, but they couldn't. And they are much worse of at the end of the year. The spending bill in the Senate on Iraq, at $70 billion, will probably get 60 votes or more in favor of it. A year ago, back in January earlier in the year, Republicans were trying to block Democrats from getting 60 votes against the war to limit it. So they are much better of. One other thing — you know what works if you want to limit spending? Divided government — because, look, if Republicans had won and you still had a Republican Congress and a Republican president, spending would have been higher.
Hip-Hop Rumors: Jay-Z Talks Joe Budden! Royce Da 5'9" I...
Hip-Hop mogul Steve Rifkind is entering the energy drink business and continues to extend the Loud brand, with the formation of the Loud Beverage Corp., which will produce Loud Energy Drinks. Rifkind, who's Loud label has broken influential acts like Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Three 6 Mafia, Big Pun, Fat Joe and numerous others, formed his latest venture with veteran executive Ron Urban. According to Rifkind, he plans on introducing Loud Energy Drinks in the same fashion that he has broken numerous records over the past 20-years. "In addition to traditional beverage marketing, we utilize radio, DJs, mix tapes, club nights and promotions with nontraditional entertainment and lifestyle accounts," Rifkind told AllHipHop.com in a statement.
South Australian native helps Serbian's success
FOUR years ago, South Australian native Dejan Petrovic was clinging stubbornly to the belief a successful career as an international tennis professional could still be his. Then he met Serbian Novak Djokovic. Petrovic, who had recently emigrated to his ancestral home of Belgrade from his birthplace of Adelaide, knew instantly there was a better career path. Petrovic, now 29, became Djokovic's coach and did such a good job he eventually became Serbia's Davis Cup captain after a brief representative playing career. Petrovic is no longer in Djokovic's corner, but he gleaned enough from his association with the charismatic right-hander to understand he had helped groom Roger Federer's obvious successor. "I knew he will make it big and that is why I stopped my career to start working with him," Petrovic said from Belgrade last night.
Obama will move the country forward
Obama is Ralph Nader in better suits... a looser. to USA Born wrote on Jan 7, 2008 8:19 AM:USA Born: you were lied to. Do a little investigating and you'll see your statement is false. He does indead pledge allengiance to the flag. He has worn the flag on his lapel. Here is what he said when someone asked him about it: "Somebody noticed I wasnt wearing a flag lapel pin and I told folks, well you know what? I havent probably worn that pin in a very long time. I wore it right after 9/11. But after a while, you start noticing people wearing a lapel pin, but not acting very patriotic. Not voting to provide veterans with resources that they need. Not voting to make sure that disability payments were coming out on time. My attitude is that Im less concerned about what youre wearing on your lapel than whats in your heart.
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