The Linden Row

Don't Vote!

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:53:00 +0000

Michelle My Belle

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:06:00 +0000

On 18 Mar, 2008 I uploaded a copy of Michelle Obama's (Michelle LaVaughn Robinson's) undergraduate thesis "Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community" to my Scribd account here. As anyone who has been a reader for any length of time knows, I like to include the occasional PDF/DOC in my posts and wanted to have this available, should the occasion arise, so I OCRed a photocopy of the original.

That was over a month and a half ago, and I really hadn't given it much thought until last night when I received an email from Scribd saying that they had chosen it as one of their featured documents. Curious, I logged into my Scribd account and was shocked: 24,701 views and an ongoing, spirited and sometimes ugly back and forth in the comments beneath the document. The latest two comments offer a glimpse of the"conversation on race" that this document (and Christopher Hitchens) has provoked:

After reading most of the comments here, I see racism is alive and well! For all of you that use the euphemism of "Affirmative Action" whenever you see a Black person, why not explicitly state you feel Blacks are inferior to whites? Why beat around the bush?
quiznos

Say what you will, I have seen ninth graders write better papers and make fewer grammatical errors. Even the most basic of writing skills seem to have eluded Michelle. Sadly enough, I see that her obsession with her perceived racial inequality has been going on for a long time. She is stewing in that cesspool mentality. What a shame. She needs to stop going to church. She is wasting her time. She does not know the God that would set her free from this mental prison she is living in. I don't believe she will find Him either by listening to J Wright. Who is no Reverend.
yazoo13

I had assumed Michelle Obama's 20yr old thesis would reappear as right-leaning 527's seized upon anything that could be used to impugn the character of Barack Obama vis-à-vis his wife in the general election. With Wright and the democratic front and center, this one appeared to be shelved for the moment. Not so.

Apparently Christopher Hitchens stumbled across the Scribd document and, ever demurring, was compelled to include reference to it in his May 5th Fighting Words Slate opinion piece Are We Getting Two for One? There he chums the waters with the subtly for which he is well known:

"I direct your attention to Mrs. Obama's 1985 thesis at Princeton University. Its title (rather limited in scope, given the author and the campus) is "Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community." To describe it as hard to read would be a mistake; the thesis cannot be "read" at all, in the strict sense of the verb. This is because it wasn't written in any known language."

For those unfamiliar with Hitchens, the title of his latest book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything should offer insight into his unabashed embrace of the controversial (on magnificent display here as he debates the existence of God with the right wing lackey and reactionary Dinesh Desouza).

I have long enjoyed both strongly agreeing and disagreeing with Hitchens' views, and reaction to his latest article (and Michelle's Thesis) provides more than a hint of the depth of the well from which controversy springs concerning Obama, his wife, the good Rev. Wright and race in general.

It may or may not be fair, but it appears that Obama, like Sisyphus, is destined to spend the political eternity that is the general election trying to get this boulder to the top of the hill, only to have it roll down upon him again.

Iron Chef RealPolitik

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:45:00 +0000

Tonight in Iron Chef Realpolitik Arena we’ll be focusing on Chef Clinton as she competes against two former Iron Chef advesaries, Chefs Truth and Reality. The featured ingredients tonight are shameless pandering pears and hypocrisy fish.

Plain old pandering pears are so...vanilla--missing a certain "Je ne sais quoi.,” so tonight we’ve really challenged our chefs with the addition of the tricky to prepare hypocrisy fish. Cut incorrectly, it is poisonous and might prove fatal to a campaign. Done right, it is said to add a potent punch to an otherwise bland political dish.

We’re 15 minutes into the competition so let’s go down to the floor, and see how our Iron Chefs are faring. Over at both Iron Chefs Truth and Reality stations, there appears to be complete chaos. They appear to be totally confused by the ingredients. Chef Truth is saying that these ingredients are just not the kind of things any self-respecting chef would include in a dish or even keep in their kitchen. Let’s check in now with our other competitor…

Over at Iron Chef Clinton’s station they don’t seem to be having any of the problems that Iron Chefs Truth and Reality are having with the ingredients. In fact Team Clinton appears to be quite at home at handling both of our featured items, pandering pears and hypocrisy fish. Chef Clinton says she and her husband have enjoyed preparing them for years, serving them regularly to friends, family, and patrons of their two eating establishments The Sharp Elbow located in Washington, DC and The Intern's Cigar located in Harlem.

Ok, times up let’s see how the Iron Chefs have done. Well, this is a first and a real shocker! Both Chefs Truth and Reality have left the Iron Chef Realpolitik Arena. As they exited they were overheard saying that ethically they just weren’t compatible with what they were asked to prepare. absoulutely horrified by the ease with which Chef Clinton worked, they have left the building completely.

Chef Clinton, seems to be completely un-phased, and said she is actually relieved, as she has never been terribly comfortable working with either Truth or Reality. She has indicated that though there is no tasting necessary to determine a winner, she will be more than happy to serve her dish to any and all takers. The audience appears to be a bit weary though…

(Not Quite ) Iraq V-Day -- 5 Year Aniversary

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:54:00 +0000

Mission Uh...

It was 5 years ago today that George W. Bush became the first President in history to land a plane on an aircraft carrier while in office. Ah... What a great day for America...the sight of some one who served so valiantly during the Vietnam War taking the flight controls once again as just warms the Red-Blooded American Heart.

But there was something else about that day 5 years ago today...Flight-Suit package display?...No that wasn't it...

Oh...Of course how could I (or any proud American for that matter) forget...That was the day we won the war in Iraq. Yes that was the day all America let out a collective Team America "America, F**k Yeah!"

Those were simpler times. When right was right, and wrong was..well just flat-out unpatriotic! Not anymore though...sadly, we've since lost a few hearts and minds. First there's that hardcore fringe bastion of left-wing liberalism...the American Public. Those Commie bastards.

Then, of course, there are the Iraqi People. Ungrateful bastards. We show them love and what do we get in return? The Iraqi version of an exploding cigar-a thumb in the eye and an IED under our Humvee.

Wake up America! Can't you smell what Iraq (or Barack) is cookin'! Smells like defeat to me!

'Father of LSD' Sees a Beautiful Light...and Oh the Colors!

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Thu, 01 May 2008 01:48:00 +0000

Albert Hofmann-"Father of LSD"-Turns on, tunes in, and drops out...really, really, out

While all of America was consumed with the surreal performances played out on the political stage (see the clip of Rev. Wright below), the soul of Albert Hofmann, pioneer of true surreality, member of the Nobel Prize Committee, Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, slipped its mortal coil and began what I'm sure is a truly mind-expanding journey.

Albert Hofman, the swiss scientist credited with the invention of the psycho-pharmaceutical wonder-drug LSD, died yesterday at 9am at his home in Basel, Switzerland. Though he was not a fan of the whole-hearted counter-culture embrace of his drug, as he thought it was a misappropriation of a perfectly good and potentially useful drug, he did appreciate it's mind altering effects.

On April 16, 1943, he accidentally ingested a small amount of synthesised lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25), which he had first created in 1938 as a then chemist for Sandoz Pharmaceutical in Basil. Intriguing effect,, he thought, but he had to be sure. So three days later, April 19, 1943 Hofman intentionally ingested 250 ug of LSD. Fearing he was getting sick, he embarked on bicycle ride home to convalesce, and something unexpected happened: he experienced the first full fledged acid trip ever recorded. Which he chronicled in his laboratory journal with the following entries (and in his book LSD: My Problem Child):

4/19/43 16:20: 0.5 cc of 1/2 promil aqueous solution of diethylamide tartrate orally = 0.25 mg tartrate. Taken diluted with about 10 cc water. Tasteless.

17:00: Beginning dizziness, feeling of anxiety, visual distortions, symptoms of paralysis, desire to laugh.

Supplement of 4/21: Home by bicycle. From 18:00- ca.20:00 most severe crisis. (See special report.) ***Here the notes in my laboratory journal cease. I was able to write the last words only with great effort***

And thus "Bicycle day," a drug holiday later joined by 420 on stoner calenders, was born.

When reached for comment,the White Rabbit, said only "The saddest part of the whole thing really is that he died so young...only 102 years old."

(LSD-Possible cause of Paul Gipson (union president of a N.C. steelworkers local) mistakenly thinking that Hillary Clinton was sporting a pair? Just a thought.)

The Price of Ambition

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:23:00 +0000

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely...Everything?

Becoming an American President, arguably the most powerful human being on the face of the planet, is a perennial aspiration of American schoolchildren and Senators alike, but perhaps one should be careful what he or she wishes for.

I recall being mildly shocked in late 2000 at the sight of the progressive, hyper-aging, effects that Oval Office stress visited upon the then out-going President Clinton. The changes were visually chronicled in the numerous retrospective stories casting a backward look over the closing Clinton era.

I have been equally and repeatedly shocked by the excessive wear evident on George W. Bush's face. Regular critical MSM war commentary and the related video flashbacks of a more vigorous prewar and "mission accomplished" W provide hard to ignore evidence of the increased "character" of his facial landscape.

Now, appearance is one thing, but I was stunned when I came across the following clip of President Bush, clearly showing a profound decline in something more substantial (and scary for the American People) than what is cosmetically obvious: fluid intelligence.

I've not seen any dramatic evidence of job-related mental decline in any other former President (Unless, perhaps, you attribute Reagan's steep Alzheimer's decline to a similar job related PTSD), but it can't be ruled out.

Presidential Leadership Style may play a part. Participative/Detail Oriented vs. Delegative styles certainly require different levels of intellectual engagement and an active/engaged intellect is said to serve as prophylactic against mental decline.

And as anyone who watches the late night comic stylings of Leno et al. knows, G.W.Bush is well known for his lack of intellectual curiosity (read stupidity), a much ballyhooed aversion to reading (dyslexia?) and prodigious affinity for excessive amounts of vacation time. Add it all up and you have the portrait/caricature of a guy primed for mental decline.

Bush's mental state aside, it seems one who seeks the presidency enters into a Faustian deal of sorts: Physical (and possibly mental) vigor traded for a shot at power, treasure, and a place in history. Like a bodybuilder trading his health for steroid strength, U.S. Presidents appear to trade a piece of their tomorrows for a power-filled today.

So what might sort of physical decay might befall the next candidate lucky enough to grab the highest political brass ring? Pop Photo offers the 2008 field of Presidential Candidates the following visual opportunity to reconsider:

U.S. Contracted Ship Fires at Iranian Boat and Oil Prices Shoot Up (Again)

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:22:00 +0000

Oh Foreign Oil, you had us at hello and you've got us wrapped around your finger. We've got a long history and current events added to woeful political incompetence only serve make the heart grow fonder.

Oil prices shot up $3/barrel within minutes of the news that least one warning shot was fired Thursday by a Navy security team armed with M16 and .50 caliber machine guns rifles toward an Iranian boat. The shot(s) were fired from the Westward Venture, a ship contracted by the U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) to bring supplies to troops in Kuwait .

The shots came as the Iranian boat closed to within 100 yards of the Westward Venture, which launched flares, blew a warning whistle and received no response in an attempted bridge to bridge communication. The situation deescalated after bridge to bridge communication was eventually established and the Iranian vessel identified itself as an Iranian Coastguard vessel. U.S. Officials suspect that the Iranian National Guard may be behind the incident.

Tension in the waters surrounding Iran have been elevated (along with oil prices) since January 6, 2008, when Iranian gunboats appeared to threaten a U.S. navy warship.

But hey, skyrocketing oil prices may be threatening an already shaky U.S. economy as ripples of increased fuel costs begin to show up at the local Wal-Mart, but it's not bad news for the whole North American Neighborhood (NAN). As the U.S. continues increase its lead as the world's largest debtor nation, our neighbors to the north are enjoying supplying our addicted nation with its energy fix. In fact, it is so good for Canada that the $100+ per barrel cost of oil has some Canadians looking forward to the possibility of going from a debtor to creditor nation (though they are not there yet).

It is long past time for us to get our energy act together, but political pandering, special interest lobbyists, and undue oil and corn-based ethanol corporate influence over the direction of U.S. energy policy continue to place the unchecked persuit of power and money above our National Interest. The system works obscenely well for corporations and politicians, but fails the American people miserably. This election cycle, currently moribund in trivialities, is an opportunity to change things if we choose to overcome our "shiny object syndrome" by informing ourselves and demanding more of our political leaders.

Just Curious

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:46:00 +0000

a (completely) non sequitur post

“It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.”

Albert Einstein

"Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only that the cat died nobly."

Arnold Edinborough

"Only barbarians are not curious about where they come from, how they came to be where they are, where they appear to be going, whether they wish to go there, and if so, why, and if not, why not..."

Isaiah Berlin

“Curiosity is lying in wait for every secret.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“There are various sorts of curiosity; one is from interest, which makes us desire to know that which may be useful to us; and the other, from pride which comes from the wish to know what others are ignorant of.”

Kin Hubbard

“Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of others."

Oscar Wilde

"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why."

Bernard Baruch

An Open Letter to Sane Democrats:

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:37:00 +0000

Hillary Supporters, Let's Play Time-Warp Presidential Candidate Mad Libs !

April 21, 2008 (or is it 1992?)

Dear Dems:

The Republicans will eat [insert candidate name] alive; what are you thinking even contemplating running [insert candidate name] as your nominee. Apparently successive Republican Presidential terms have rendered you punch drunk, desperate and just loopy enough to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory again. Stunning really. One could hardly be criticized for suggesting that maybe the Big D stands for Dopey.

[insert candidate name] is being introduced to America as an agent of change. What kind of change is he talking about exactly? Compared to the Republican nominee, [insert candidate name] has next to no experience.

Iraq requires sage executive attention in the wake of our "victory" there. In order to protect America, the Mideast, and the rest of the world from the threat that a mishandled Iraq might present, we need someone with solid foreign policy credentials. Electing [insert candidate name] would be like putting a kid in the kitchen and expecting to get a gourmet meal out of it--cuh-ray-zee talk!

What the country needs in the midst of its current and continuing economic malaise is a candidate who has been there and done that. Some one who knows how to navigate what will surely be turbulent waters ahead.

Oh, and about [insert candidate name]'s past. We've just begun to get to know him, and already the GOP is drooling in anticipation of sinking their teeth into the red meat this guy brings to the table. Sure [insert candidate name] has a great back-story, an inspiring narrative if you will: His father gone, [insert candidate name] was raised in a family that struggled a bit financially; he worked hard to rise above what would normally be seen as possible for a person such as himself. But don't be distracted by the triumphant everyman fairytale; do pay attention to the man behind the curtain.

Self-admitted youthful dalliances with drug use, hints of hinky political/financial associations and multiple potentially scandalous relationships will prove fatal in the General Election next fall. Toss in rumors about [insert candidate name] being something other than a true patriot at heart and the fact that this guy has a wife who seems to court controversy and it's pretty much a "slam dunk."

I beg of you, wake up and smell the roses. Don't nominate this self-proclaimed politics-as-unusual candidate of hope. The fact that [insert candidate name] has been unable to close the sale with the American public, and the fact that the former front-runner recently upset [insert candidate name] should serve as indication that he would be a doomed non-viable general election candidate. He can't possibly win, and even if he were to win, his Presidency would clearly be a disaster of epic proportions. Oh the humanity.

The Walrus and The Saw

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:19:00 +0000

Strolling seaside,
Smiling as she led the way,
Mrs. Walrus turned easily
to Mr. Carpenter and did say:
“These oysters are such fools,
To think that what we’re about is play.”

“Oh Mrs. Walrus,
You are so wise!”
Said Mr. Carpenter,
Casting adoring eyes,
“I have learnt much from you,
in your pursuit of prize!”

“Oysters…Oysters! Please
Line up two by two,
Carpenter and I
Have a game for you”
A hungry Walrus donned her bib,
Her words only half true.

As Mrs. Walrus dined,
Mr. Carpenter ate too,
Rapaciously devouring four,
For her every two.
She soon became quite cross,
Screaming “That’s enough for YOU!”

Mr. Carpenter winked,
Grinned, then turned his gaze.
“Why, you're right Mrs. Walrus, oysters are so very small,
All this hard work hardly pays.
How much would you guess,
A Walrus weighs?”

No Grace Under Faux Fire: Hillary's Latest Wartime Diary Entries

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 23:30:00 +0000

March 16, 2008
Dear Diary. We've got 'em on the run. HQ has radioed in the co-ordinates of the next bombing. Using jingoistic military terms just gets me totally pumped, I just can't stop myself (I am sooo the right one to be the next commander in chief).

News from the front is that the Obama forces appear to be in a state of disarray as the Wright cluster bombs continue to go off. Bill's in the other room watching Hannity and that other guy with the sound muted, in his underwear, with a cigar (ughhh), cranking the theme to Apocalypse Now while Fox News plays that U.S.of KKK clip over and over again.

He says that this Wright thing is just the kind of thing we can milk from now until we are able to convince all the super-delegates that Obama is the kind of Muslim no American would ever vote for. Did I just write Muslim? Whoopsie. I guess I miswrote. Silly me. Obviously I meant to write Christian -- at least Christian as far as I know. Oh, dear dear diary, it is too bad you won't be able to capture the sound of my delightful cackle as I write this. Oh, I do amuse myself!

So the plan is simple. Tomorrow we'll begin what we're calling Operation SideSnipe. While Barack is busy dealing with the full frontal assault of the "race" thing, I'll play up my foreign policy experience and snipe at his inexperience from unexpected positions all arou... Snipe...Snipe? Hmmm...Woe!! Light bulb going off here!

OK,OK, Yeah! YEAH! After I talk about the normal Obama inexperience stuff, maybe I could go off script a little and talk about my time in taking enemy fire in the jungles of Nam...wait that was McCain. OK then, that time I landed in Tuzla, Bosnia with Chelsea and was greeted on the tarmack by that friendly little Bosnian girl. Only I'll leave out the little girl, toss in something about snipers, having to run with my head down --a little Matrix action--all the way to the vehicle. Total John Wayne/Neo Hillary stuff. Yes...Excellent plan. A little white lie never hurt a Clinton!

March 25, 2008
Dear Diary. We're taking heavy real enemy fire here! Sorry I haven't written for the last couple of days, but Operation SideSnipe didn't go exactly as planned. Seems I forgot all about that stupid CBS camera crew I took along on that trip. Damn memory lapses (note to self -get some Ginko...on second thought no...eeww...there are some things about those years I'd rather not remember). We're battered, bloody and breathing heavily, but I'm committed to going the distance --at any cost.

I've instructed my staff to initiate emergency Operation Nanny-Nanny-Boo-Boo (Special-Op NNBB). We'd hoped to be able to save this one for the main electoral season, but desperate times call for childish behavior. When asked about my "misstatement," my campaign spokespeople, Chelsea and I will all put our fingers in our ears babble incoherently about McCain being like Hoover and Wright and Obama and Liar? Liar! I know you are but what am I!!

Curiouser and Curiouser: State Department Political Clue/Cluedo

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:32:00 +0000

Obama, Clinton, and McCain: Breached Passport Information and Mrs Plum with the Gun in the Kitchen...or not.

The Obama Campaign, though publicly outraged, privately must have breathed a sigh of relief when the news broke. The focus on Reverend Wright and his incindiary remarks moved to the back burner last Thursday as The Washington Times reported that the Senator's passport information had been breached. The press went wild with the story, and upper level State Department officials couldn't seem to get their story straight.

One official said the violations hadn't been reported up the chain of command, while another said that on the dates of the Obama passport violations investigations were initiated by officials at the State Department. Confusion abounded and questions began to be asked. Could there be something more here? Rovian perhaps? This is, after all, a Republican State Department, and Obama is a Big D Democratic Presidential candidate.

But then Friday, as a more vigorous investigation was initiated, the State Department discovered that the passport information of John McCain and Hillary Clinton had also been breached. Hmmm...

Curious

The State Department is reporting that the Clinton breach has been accounted for as the result of a training error. The McCain and Obama violations, however, were the result of contract employees accessing the information for unknown reasons. The psychics and mind-readers at the State Department branded the latter two as likely cases of "imprudent curiosity." Ooops.

Could it really be that simple (and boring)? We now know that two of the contract employees have been fired, and a third is the focus of an ongoing investigation. The company involved is, as expected, doing the damage control PR thing (thats PR and not PR, though the latter does have great parades and...mmm...pasteles). But I digress...anyhoo, The Analysis Corporation (TAC), employer of the individual still being investigated for Obama and McCain passport file snooping, released the following statement yesterday:

WASHINGTON, March 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Late this morning,
representatives of the Department of State informed The Analysis
Corporation (TAC) for the first time that one of the individuals who had
been detected inappropriately accessing passport files of prominent
political figures was a TAC employee. The individual was working on
contract at the Department of State.

This individual's actions were taken without the knowledge or direction
of anyone at TAC and are wholly inconsistent with our professional and
ethical standards.

TAC has an exemplary record of supporting the Department of State and
other elements of the U.S. Government for close to two decades. We are
fully cooperating with the Department of State in its investigation.
Specifically, we have honored the Department's request to delay taking any
administrative action related to the employment of the individual in order
to give the Department's Office of the Inspector General the opportunity to
conduct its investigation.

We deeply regret that the incident occurred and believe it is an
isolated incident.

Contact: Jim Flynn of The Analysis Corporation, +1-703-738-2876

Hmmm...and then things got...

Curiouser

This is where things really start to get interesting. It turns out that the dates of the Obama breeches coincide with political events. TalkingPointsMemo.com published the following brief bit of information:

A few more details about the Obama passport breach. According to a new piece out in the Post from Glenn Kessler, the breaches occurred Jan. 9th, Feb. 21st and March 14th.
That would be the day after the New Hampshire primary, the day of the Democratic debate in Texas and the day the Wright story really hit.

So the breaches coincide with political events. Who might be interested in such information at such times? Today The Huffington Post published the following piece entitled "Maura Harty: State Department Official In Charge During Breaches An Ambassador Under Clinton":

Last night, MSNBC noted a Clinton connection to the story that Barack Obama's passport had been breached. The network reported that Maura Harty, the State Department official in charge of the Bureau Of Consular Affairs during the first two breaches of Obama's passport, had served as an ambassador under Bill Clinton.

Today, the State Department confirmed Hillary Clinton and John McCain's passport files had also been breached.

"Harty was a Consular Affairs Chief until the end of last month when she retired from foreign service work. Before her stint as the Assistant Secretary of State of Consular Affairs, Harty was an Ambassador to Paraguay under President Bill Clinton," MSNBC reported.

Harty began her State Department career in 1981. She worked for the Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, and Bush administrations until she resigned February, 29. Here full State Department bio can be found here.

That seals it...it was definitely Hilla..wait..,what's that you say? An Obama Campaign Adviser is head of the company involved in the snooping? Go on...I'm listening. Well...there's this from a story in The Washington Times today suggesting possible linkage:

The third employee, who has not been fired, worked for The Analysis Corporation (TAC), which is headed by John O. Brennan, a former CIA agent who is an adviser to Mr. Obama's presidential campaign on intelligence and foreign policy.

It's not really so crazy, is it? OK, maybe it is a little loco, but in a good Dan Brown kinda way, so here goes. If I were a really shrewd political operator running for President, I might want to know what info the Government has in its files on me. I could then protect and prepare myself for the eventual leaks.

But if I were a really really shrewd political operator running for President, I might even use an insider to set things up to look like the other guy/gal did the digging and then wait until I found myself in a real political jam. At that point I might (just spitballin' here) then use a surrogate to anonymously leak info about the breach(es) to an opposition media outlet, and then in righteous indignation, call the whole thing an outrage. That's if I were a really shrewd guy running for President.

And so the questions remain: Was it Miss Scarlett (Clinton/Harty) in the Library? The Professor ( Obama/Brennan) in the Conservatory? Colonel Mustard (McCain/Rove) in the Hall? Or...maybe it was Mrs. Plum (someone dumb) with the gun (human-nature/curiosity) in the Kitchen (where we keep the sink and everything spicy.) Right now, no one really has more than a circumstantial CLUE as to who (if anyone) is behind the contract employee snooping. You must admit, though, that it's a fun guessing game to play, especially now that that whole "who shot Kennedy" thing (thanks a lot Vincent Bugliosi) has become so...well...eh.. passé .

Ashley Alexandra Dupre: Girl Gone Wild (On Video)

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:49:00 +0000

When Ashley Alexandra Dupré, the woman at the center of what is being described by some as Spitzmas (this thing just keeps giving), spent 7 days aboard Joe Francis's Girls Gone Wild tour bus traveling around Miami on Spring Break at the tender age of 18 (or was it 17?) she could have had no idea what a spectacle her life would become. She spent the week being filmed dancing at clubs, getting naked, and, according to some reports engaging in lesbian sex, though that last part is probably not the case. According to Francis (OK Magazine story), there was full frontal nudity but no actual sex:

"We are getting pressure from her lawyer," Francis says. "As soon as we withdrew the million dollar offer, he is just mad because her price has dropped. Even if she was 17, we could still release it. There's no sexual contact... There's only nudity. She did nothing more than show her breasts and kiss a few girls...but there's full nudity. "

Francis had recently offered Dupre $1ml to appear in a non-nude spread in his company's new magazine but withdrew the offer when it came to his attention that GGW had already filmed her back when she was 18.

It now seems unlikely that the drooling public's appetite for a peek at Dupré's naughty bits will earn her the million plus payday originally offered by either Hustler or Penthouse . The two magazines may still want her, but with Francis's video, 7 hours worth, now being made available on the Girls Gone Wild website (for a subscription fee of $29.95), she's no longer in the driver's seat on supply side of this particular equation (But hey, she's still made a killing on those song sales though...Right?).

Is Francis sympathetic? Not at all- He's a business man and doesn't mind being the one to screw Dupré one more time:

"She probably hates me. But now we are going to capitalize on it by putting it on girlsgonewild.com."

The New York Post has GGW video stills here and clubbing pics here. The interactive map below allows you to explore the increasingly tangled web that has produced this Spitzmas Holiday atmosphere.

“It’ll save me a million bucks,” Francis told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “It’s kind of like finding a winning lottery ticket in the cushions of your couch.”

That's some some couch you've got there Joe.

Heather Mills-Paul McCartney Settlement Details Go Public

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:58:00 +0000

No Leg To Stand On?

Heather Mills may have won the battle and £24million ($48.6m U.S.), but the release of the following settlement/judgment text will certainly see her losing even more ground in an impossibly lopsided publicity war. Her behavior has been erratic and her motives, by all appearances, are those of one chasing gold rather than an equitable resolution. Does anyone believe she will follow through on her promises to do charity work with the proceeds? Could happen...but likely? Not.

In the text of the released document the judge comments on Mills' childhood in Northumberland calling it "troubled." Troubled? Can't wait to see how her 4-year-old daughter with McCartney, Beatrice, turns out. Though Paul is involved in his daughter's life, Mills' erratic behavior and the public's open Yoko-ish distaste for her won't make things easy.

With this one bit of business settled, Paul will now battle Mills over whether Stella McCartney , Bea's adult half-sister will be able to sit on the board of trustees charged with overseeing the child's financial future. Mills is vehemently opposed to allowing the 36 year old fashion designer anything to do with her daughter's life, quoted as saying/screaming: “Keep that woman away from my daughter and my life.”

Mills appears to have fared about as well in a court of law (She ended up with far less than the $100m McCartney reportedly originally offered her) as she has in the court of public opinion.The judge was wholly unimpressed with Mills' evidence and credibility throughout the proceedings, during which she ill-advisedly chose to represent herself. He had the following to say in the released court document:

But I regret to have to say I cannot say the same about the wife's evidence. Having watched and listened to her give evidence, having studied the documents, and having given in her favour every allowance for the enormous strain she must have been under (and in conducting her own case) I am driven to the conclusion that much of her evidence, both written and oral, was not just inconsistent and inaccurate but also less than candid. Overall she was a less than impressive witness.

"Let Me Reintroduce Myself, I Am David Paterson...Governor Of New York State!"

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Let the post Spitzer healing begin.

(Update: Unbelievable! Paterson and his wife both admit to having had multiple extra-marital affairs. One of his was with with Lila E. Kirton, a staffer who worked in the office of the Attorney General under Eliot Spitzer...and apparently in several positions under and on top of David L. Paterson ... Baddump Bump Bump...Is this Albany or the Maury Show?)

Today the 55th Governor of New York was sworn in, promising to bring a spirit of cooperation to Albany as his State and country wrestle with increasingly tumultuous times.

Former Governors George Pataki and Hugh Carey were in attendance as David Paterson, New York's first African-American (and the nation's first visually impaired) Governor was administered the oath of office by Judge Judith S. Kaye (chief judge of the NY Court of Appeals).

Immediately following the swearing in, Paterson proceeded to address a packed Assembly chamber of the state Capitol, warming up the crowd for a few minutes with humorous banter (Cuomo-watergun etc.) before segueing into more serious matters:

"We move forward. Today is Monday. There is work to be done...There was an oath to be taken. There's trust that needs to be restored. There are issues that need to be addressed."

One of the first orders of business the Governor faces is meeting an April 1 deadline to pass an estimated $124 billion budget. Passage is critical to avoid resorting to emergency spending measures as the State faces an estimated 4.5 to 5.1 Billion dollar shortfall. Patterson continued:

“We are looking at an economy that is reeling and I must say to all of you in government and all of you in business that you must meet with me in the next couple of weeks and adjust our budget accordingly.”

He went on to reference the sale to JP Morgan Chase & Co of a nearly bankrupt Bear Stearns (for 10% of what it's previously estimated to be worth) and recent bold moves by the Fed (designed to aid large firms). Both, he said, serve as indication that New York and the country at large face the kind of economic crisis that demands moving beyond divisive politics . Throughout his address he continued to emphasize the need for unity in confronting the challenges ahead:

"And so what we are going to do from now on is what we always should have done: we are going to work together. With conviction in our brains and compassion in our hearts and the love for New York on our sleeves, we will dedicate ourselves to principle but always maintain the ability to listen. And now we look forward in this great state, we look forward with our eyes very much on the greatness of New York, and we look forward – ever forward – together...."

Paterson concluded his speech by reminding New Yorkers of the strength inherent in a people bound by a common reality and willing to face problems as a community:

"We are Asian, white, Hispanic and black. We are upper middle class and social service customers. We are homeowners, landlords, tenants, cooperators and even the homeless. We send our children to public and private schools, and yet New Yorkers, in spite of the perceived problems inherent in our differences, we have an immense opportunity, if we start to look at who we are, and what we can be. God bless you all for coming today, and God bless the great State of New York."

The full transcript of David L. Paterson's inauguration speech follows:

Ashley Alexandra Dupre To Appear (Even More) Nude?

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:28:00 +0000

Last Friday the NY Post published pictures of Ashley Alexandra Youmans-Dupré-DiPietro on its cover and inside(right and more here) taken by photographer Wesley Mann, launching what promises to be a very profitable period of Dupre milking her 15 minutes of fame.

Her front page, post scandal, debut in the Post comes as appetite for all things Ashley is reaching a fever pitch. Her MySpace page has been viewed over 8 million times and her songs have been downloaded between 300k and 2million times @ $.98 each ( she receives a 70% cut, potentially earning her an estimated $1.4 million or more).

The woman the public first met as "Kristen" in the federal complaint against operators of the Emperor's Club VIP is also reportedly the object of a major mens magazine bidding war. Larry Flint (Hustler) is said to have made a near million dollar offer for Ashley to appear nude, which was reportedly quickly countered by an offer of more than $1 mil from Penthouse. According to The Daily News:

"Penthouse Magazine group president and publisher Diane Silberstein said she would "love to have her in the magazine" and would consider offering her a cover shot."

Flynt, quoted by the Daily News, appears concerned that there may be a short window of opportunity for magazines like Hustler and Penthouse to capitalize on the Dupré phenomenon.

Flynt said that by the time Dupré starts talking, she may be too big a media phenomenon for a simple magazine spread.

"She is no doubt going to do a book. There will probably be a movie," he said. "I think she is going to have so many offers coming in that it will probably be wishful thinking just to get in the door."

There is little doubt that, if played well, the hooker with a heart of...who knows what.. will end up with a huge pocketful of gold and green, a video on MTV, and a book/movie deal. She certainly can't go back to doing what she did before, but now she has a once in a lifetime opportunity to sell herself for money, big money, in a whole new way.

Her legal situation is expected to work itself out by way of testimony for immunity as prosecutors in the Emperor's Club VIP case work to build a case against the big fish (the four originally charged) and maybe one really big fish- one Eliot "Client 9/George Fox" Spitzer.

So the 22 (or is it 24?) year old woman pictured below in the Emperor's Club VIP model section (screen capture below) looks to be on the verge of graduating from high dollar hooker to media wh...whatever...we haven't heard her side of things yet. Though there is little doubt we will.

Just look at her yearbook pics--mom must be so proud of the person her little girl has become.

(Update: There is satirical (presumably untrue) news from the website UnconfirmedSources that an FBI Spitzer/Dupré sextape has been leaked online.)

(cue the Fatboy Slim outro)
By the looks of it, she's come a long way baby...

Troubled Waters Ahead For Eliot Spitzer

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:26:00 +0000

Whether Eliot Spitzer will actually be prosecuted as a john is still unclear, but that fact doesn't reduce the ironic reality that on June 6, 2007 Eliot Spitzer signed into law tough new provisions of New York State's anti Prostitution Law, Penal Law §230.00 . It was an an occasion he used to trumpet new measures designed to bring more equity to the commonly disparate criminal treatment of johns and prostitutes. The law, which went into effect on November 1, 2007, was heralded THE NYS JUDICIAL COMMITTEE ON WOMEN IN THE COURTS in their September 2007 newsletter.

Mayflower Hotel images courtesy of/by By Mark Wilson (Getty Images / March 11, 2008)

However unlikely prosecution under the applicable provision of Article §230.00, there is still a sentiment among some in New York that it would only be fitting for the man who in large part built his reputation by holding public figures to a higher standard to be held to a higher standard himself.

Spitzer was known to have demanded public apologies (as components of plea agreements) from the influential objects of his prosecutorial zeal. Such apologies served what he said was an important function: Providing example, for all who thought otherwise, that no person or corporation, however powerful, was above the law.

It would be difficult to argue that Spitzer's activities shouldn't be subject to the same witch-hunt tactics he himself famously employed and it would seem Federal Prosecutors agree. Manhattan U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia made it clear that Spitzer hadn't made any pre-resignation deal when he released the following statement:

“There is no agreement between this office and Governor Eliot Spitzer, relating to his resignation or any other matter.”

Those close to the prosecutorial proceedings (alliteration unintended) say the investigation will be thorough and will likely take an extended period of time to complete. Indications are that prosecutors are preparing to dig through Spitzer's bank, credit card and other financial records going back to 1999. A New York Post article makes clear that elected officials like Spitzer are, in fact, held to higher standards:

H. James Pickerstein, a former top Connecticut federal prosecutor, said that even if Spitzer had sought such a deal, "it's against very, very firm government policy, especially when dealing with a high elected official," for prosecutors to make such a deal..

All of this provides room for copious amounts of conjecture. Legal experts are dusting off some arcane statutes when discussing this case and the possible charges that might be the result of an unsparing criminal investigation.

There has been speculation that he might be eligible to be prosecuted under the provisions of the obscure Mann Act, enacted June 1910. The act, also known as the White-Slave Act, provides severe penalties for interstate transportation of women for immoral purposes. Client 9 (Spitzer) paid for the transportation (train -ticket) of "Kristen" (Ashley Rae Maika DiPietro/Ashley Alexandra Dupré) from New York to Washington DC.

Another hithertofore obscure (to the general public) statute being bandied about is 31 U.S.C. 5324, the statute widely referred to as structuring or "smurfing". The statute makes it a felony to purposefully conduct transactions designed to circumvent the reporting requirements found in sect 5313 of the U.S.C. Definitions may be found in 31 CFR B Chapter 1, Part 103: FINANCIAL RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING OF CURRENCY AND FOREIGN TRANSACTIONS.

The legal elements of a structuring charge involve a person acting alone, or in concert with others, conducting one or more currency transactions of any amount, over the course of one or more days, in an effort to evade the currency transfer record keeping and reporting requirements of 31 C.F.R. 103.22 .

Spitzer, presumably well aware of such requirements, apparently transfered the estimated $80k he spent during his alleged 10yr involvement with the Emperors Club VIP in a way designed to avoid the above described reporting requirements. Indications are that he broke payments up into sub-10k amounts and spread his payments to QAT's offshore accounts out over time in an attempt to escape detection.

This obviously didn't work, as it was this pattern that prompted an involved bank to report the activity to authorities. These payments were viewed by Federal investigators as possible indication of bribery and they are ultimately the reason the Emperors Club VIP was brought down. Spitzer, as noted previously, wasn't a secondary target caught up in a prostitution sting rather it was the prostitution ring that was caught in the investigation of a Governor.

Perhaps the most damning possible question being raised is whether Spitzer, ethical exemplar, used campaign/public funds and resources to facilitate his dalliances. If it is discovered that source of the money-orders he transferred from his North Fork bank account to QAT International's offshore accounts was public, Spitzer may face money-laundering charges.

If it turns out that the security detail assigned to protect him was used to support his prostitution habit, he may face still more charges.

The ultimate arbiters of Spitzer's legal (Federal) fate for the time being are Boyd M. Johnson III, who heads the public corruption unit of the United States attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, and his superior Michael J. Garcia.

What does the future hold for Eliot Spitzer? Legally that is unclear, but all indications are that there are rougher waters ahead than those he has had to navigate to date.

June 6, 2007: The Day Eliot Spitzer Inadvertently Got Tough On Himself

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:40:00 +0000

For Updated Post go Here/Above.

Meet Ashley Alexandra Dupré: The Prostitute Known As Kristen

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:42:00 +0000

'I just don't want to be thought of as a monster'

The fog of mystery surrounding the woman who was originally known only by a nickname in a Federal Complaint is beginning to lift. Though she is reluctant to go into too much detail, her online presence and brief interviews are proving to be revelatory treasure troves.

The New York Times broke the story at 6:15pm est March 13, 2008, that the woman previously known only as "Kristen" was actually a 22yr old aspiring R&B singer known publicly as Ashley Alexandra Dupré ( born Ashley R. Youmans) who in 2006 changed her legal name to Ashley Rae Maika DiPietro in Monmouth County (NJ) Superior Court in order to take the surname of her stepfather, the man she regards as “the only father I have known."

Her MySpace page reveals a woman who, at 17, left the Jersey Shore, a broken home and an abusive past in an attempt to break into the Manhattan Music Scene. The following MySpace excerpt reveals some personal details about the woman who now finds herself at the center of the spectacle that is the Spitzer/Emperor Club VIP scandal:

I am all about my music, and my music is all about me… It flows from what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen and how I feel. I live in New York and am on top of the world. Been here since 2004 and I love this city, I love my life here. But, my path has not been easy. When I was 17, I left home. It was my decision and I’ve never looked back. Left my hometown. Left a broken family. Left abuse. Left an older brother who had already split. Left and learned what it was like to have everything, and lose it, again and again. Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and homeless. But, I survived, on my own. I am here, in NY because of my music. It started when I moved in with a musician during my odyssey to New York. One day, I was in the shower singing “respect.” He and his lead guitarist burst in, had me repeat it and it started. We wrote, rehearsed and toured. After recording a bit with them, I decided to move to Manhattan to pursue my music career. I spent the first two years getting to know the music scene, networking in clubs and connecting with the industry. Now, it’s all about my music. It’s all about expressing me. I can sit here now, and knowingly tell you that life’s hard sometimes. But, I made it. I’m still here and I love who I am. If I never went through the hard times, I would not be able to appreciate the good ones. Cliché, yes, but I know it’s true. I have experienced just how hard it can be. I can honestly tell you to never dwell on the past, but build from it and keep moving forward. Don’t let anyone hold you back or tell you that you can’t…because you can. I didn’t and here I am, just listen to it…. What we Want is my latest track. It’s really about trust, something my past has made very difficult for me to feel. This one was inspired by a guy, who taught me not to confuse my dreams with the sounds of the city…I hope you like it.

BELOW IS A SAMPLE OF HER MUSIC (Read about the vocals (and moans) on "What We Want" and more opinion byFarhad Manjoo aka The Machinist at Salon.com)

Though she discusses her music career openly, inner turmoil and the mindset of a survivor are evident in one of her MySpace Blog Entries . The late summer 2007 blog entry reveals Ashley Rae DiPietro to be a very bright woman wrestling the nature and worth of the relationships affecting her life:

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Hello Everyone!! how are you?? This Blog i am going to just talk about my feelings on relationships...from a boyfriend/girlfriend, to closest friends, to family and business relationships...they are all the same to me...

The past few months have been a roller coaster with so called friends, lovers, and family...but its something you have to deal with and confront in order to move on...

I stepped away from each situation that happened and asked myself...

1) What is this person doing to make my life better? (financial, intel, drive, networking etc.)

2) How does this person make me feel? (happy, sad, motivated, depressed, constantly doubting, drama, etc.)

3) How is this person a positive influence in my life? (do they share the same interests, same dreams, does that person make me better when i am with them, or when they are in my life...i would be the same person if they weren't in my life, but its just better with them in it...is my best interest always number one in their head AND heart, etc.)

from all this, i mean...

*Does that person make you feel good?

*Does that person drive you to be better?

*Is that person right there behind you when things aren't that good, or even if they are??

*Will that person be an asset to your life...(will that person have value): doesn’t have to be financial, i am talking respect, courage, and umm RESPECT.

If you are in a relationship, and it is "doing absolutely nothing" for you, makes you feel bad about yourself or situations, just causing unnecessary drama, and ruining things that you may actually care about...why would you want that in your life?? you need to surround yourself with the people that make you feel good, and that will help you get to that next step in your life. that is what a relationship is all about...growing and moving forward.

Surround yourself around people that are making moves, and doing what "they want and love" with their lives, positive energy...thats what life is all about...living. Because if you don't, misery loves company, they will only try to bring you down with them...but the question is, are you strong enough, to not let that happen?

Its hard to see if you let it get to that point...

...and then from all those answers you have to decide if that person is worthy of being a part of "your" life....because it is your life, your show...you decide who you want the characters to be...not the other way around. Every person is different, every person has their voice...can you recognize your voice, listen to it, and stick up for it??

Bless,

much love...aad

One relationship she may have been contemplating has apparently recently ended. After confronting her boyfriend about her discovery that he had fathered two children, he is said to have left her physically and financially on her own.

Her now famous means of earning a "living" gone, she is now forced to reconsider residence at the Chelsea Landmark (located at 55 West 25th Street in the Manhattan Flat Iron District), a luxury skyscraper where rents start at $3500 a month. She has indicated that she is now weighing whether or not she will move back in with her family in New Jersey or take a job working at a friend's restaurant.

Given her high profile and now chronicled NJ Shore past, either option would seem an unlikely choice for a woman who has stated an interest in surrounding herself with "people that are making moves, and doing what "they want and love" with their lives, positive energy..."

What does her family make of all this?

Carolyn Capalbo, DiPietro's 46 year old mother, told The NY Times that she was “shell-shocked” upon learning of her daughter's secret identity and occupation. In the interview she described her daughter and her involvement in the scandal in the following way:

“She is a very bright girl who can handle someone like the governor,” Ms. Capalbo said. “But she also is a 22-year-old, not a 32-year-old or a 42-year-old, and she obviously got involved in something much larger than her.”

Her brother Kyle, listed as one of her influences on her MySpace page, revealed a woman turning to friends and family as she faces the uncertainly of her situation:

"I've talked to my sister every five minutes since this happened, and I'm not going to comment on it," he said. "She's just trying to get through this."

So what's Ashley's legal situation as it now stands? Don D. Buchwald, the lawyer representing her indicated to a magistrate that she had appeared briefly in court on March 10 and has been subpoenaed to testify in a Grand Jury investigation of the four defendants in the Emperor Club VIP case.

As the now filed case goes forward and as Eliot Spitzer begins what may be a real fight to avoid being charged himself, there is little doubt that Ashley "Dupré" DiPietro's personal, public, and legal life will continue to evidence a most ancient Chinese curse as she finds herself in the whirlwind of some truly "interesting times."

Meet Ashley Alexandra Dupré: The Prostitute Known As Kristen

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 02:07:00 +0000

See updated post here/above.

Spitzer Resigns: McGeeving The Death Of Another McMaverick

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:42:00 +0000

The sheriff of Wall Street is gone, run out of town as yet another example of a politician promising to be one thing while proving in the end to be another. The ironic contrast of the following campaign video and the current trainwreck that is Eliot Spitzer will be lost on no one. Hypocrisy Charlie Brown, hypocrisy...before and after.

Here's The Before:

And Here's The After: The resignation announcement:

What They're Saying Around The Rest Of The Web
Aides Divided On Spitzer Resignation: "Top aides to Gov. Eliot Spitzer said
Tuesday morning that they expect the governor to resign his office,
although the timing of the resignation remains uncertain," the New York
Times reports. After a report that Gov. Eliot Spitzer had
patronized a prostitution ring, officials in Albany greeted the news
with shock, and some on Wall Street, a frequent target of his
investigations as attorney general, were unsympathetic. ^[1]

"We
had no interest at all in the prostitution ring until the thing with
Spitzer led us to learn about it," said one Justice Department
official. Will Giuliani, Bloomberg Run For Gov? "Mayor Bloomberg has
long denied wanting to run for governor, but the job may be looking a
little enticing may be looking a little enticing if Gov. Spitzer resigns in his pay-for-sex scandal," the NY Daily News notes.^[1]

Spitzer
should also resign and may very well go to jail. Like Vitter he's
looking at charges for paying for prostitution, unlike Vitter he's
looking at money laundering and violating the Mann Act (arranging for
the transport of a prostitute across state lines).^[2]

New York Gov. Elliot Spitzer announces his resignation as his wife Silda
looks on Wednesday, March 12, 2008, in his offices in New York City. Lt. Governor David Paterson will succeed him effective Monday, March 17. ^[3]
A great guy, huh? You are an idiot. He cheated on his wife, disgraced
his completely innocent daughters, and hurt everyone who has ever
supported him. The investigation probably was politically motivated,
and I don't think prostitution should be illegal, much less a federal
matter, however, Spitzer did this to himself. He is a hypocrite and a
scumbag, and anyone who tries to defend him with comments like: David
Vitter didn't resign! or What about Larry Craig? are the lowest form of
party hacks.^[4]
Following the shocking revelation that New York Governor, Eliot
Spitzer, had been caught in a prostitution sting, Jack Cafferty put the
question to his viewers Should Eliot Spitzer resign? Jack felt that CNN
had devoted too much time to the scandal, goes over the laundry list of
recent political sex scandals then has fun with a few e-mails.^[4]

New
York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is expected to submit his resignation to the
New York General Assembly as early as Monday night after allegations
surfaced earlier in the day that he is "Client 9," named in a federal
prostitution case, sources told FOX News.^[5]

NEW
YORK (WABC) -- Eliot Spitzer has resigned as New York's governor,
effective Monday. The announcement marked a stunning fall from power
for Spitzer, disgraced by news linking him to a high-priced
prostitution ring. He announced his resignation from his New York City
office just after 11:30 a.m. He will be replaced by Lt. Gov. David
Paterson, who will become New York's first black governor.^[6]

OTOH,
you can't become an enabler by constantly turning a blind eye when your
spouse is leaving behind debris that used to be other people's careers
and/or lives. Spitzer put a LOT of bad people in jail, and he
went after some truly bad people. He also, as anyone paying attention
knows, went after people he had a personal vendetta against, or who
were vulnerable to him. I'm not saying that Elliot Spitzer didn't love
his family, or that he didn't root for the Yankees, or anything like
that. ^[7]
NEW YORK (CBS) If Gov. Eliot Spitzer opts to roll the dice and not
resign, state Republican leadership will"force him to go all-in and
call for his impeachment from office, according to a state Assemblyman,
who admitted he asked the governor to step down. Spitzer's resignation
is imminent, sources tell CBS 2 HD political reporter Marcia Kramer,
but insiders say he's going to use the resignation as a bargaining chip
to cut a deal with federal prosecutors.^[8]
Gov. Eliot Spitzer Eliot Spitzer, embroiled in allegations that he
patronized a high-priced prostitution service, remained sequestered in
his Fifth Avenue apartment Tuesday, reportedly pondering his political
future amid growing calls for him to resign.^[9]
The prostitution scandal, some said, was too much to overcome. White
House press secretary Dana Perino responded to Spitzer"s resignation by
repeating that President Bush views it as a "sad situation" and has
Spitzer and his family "in his thoughts and prayers."^[10]

Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind said that the mood in Albany was "disbelief" and
that lawmakers were waiting for Spitzer to resign. "People are looking
in the air like 'Is this really happening?' " he said. "It's wildly
unbelievable. This is beyond science fiction." Douglas Muzzio, a
Manhattan-based political consultant, said: "He's got to resign. He
can't weather the impeachment proceedings" and he added that Spitzer
could be using his resignation as a "political bargaining chip."^[11]

The four defendants charged in the case last week were charged with
violating the federal Mann Act, a 1910 law that outlaws traveling
across state lines for prostitution. Sources told CNBC that Spitzer
does not plan to resign until he manages to organize a plea deal that
will allow him to avoid prosecution under the Mann Act.^[12]
Eliot Spitzer has remained governor longer than most people expected
after 4 pm ET yesterday. When the news broke that the former prosecutor
who once bragged of busting a prostitution ring had recently decided to
patronize another, most people assumed that his admission would be
quickly followed by an exit from the political stage. Stunned
politicians in both parties last night called on Gov. Spitzer Gov.
Spitzer to resign. "I don't think anyone remembers anything like this.^[13]
Top aides to Governor Eliot Spitzer said Tuesday morning that they
expect the governor to resign his office, although the timing of the
resignation remains uncertain. Lieutenant Governor David Paterson and
his staff have begun laying the groundwork for him to take over as
governor and are reaching out to members of the Legislature, the aides
said.^[14]

TLS TLS said. He should be forced to resign as he is not likely to step down on
his own. He probably learned of the prostitution ring from Anthony
Watson CEO of HIP Health Plan of NY whom has been backing Spitzer with
HIP funds so that he could approve the HIP & GHI for profit
conversion. Those guys at HIP are dogs they have both in house and
outside hookers they patronize.^[15]

Spitzer's short 14 months in office has been surrounded in controversy.
I'm not sure if I think he should resign but he just may have to. For
years Spitzer was gunning for people who broke the law and now he's
done it himself. If this were an affair he was having I would say it
was a personal issue between him and his wife. Prostitution is a crime
and he spent close to $4,000 for a woman. $4,000!! What would she have
to do to earn that amount of money?? I digress, sorry.^[16]
Jean, any illegal behavior by an elected official should be cause for
removal from office. If the incident had happened in Nevada where it is
legal, then I would agree that it is between him and his wife, but if
happened in D.C. As a former Attorney General Spitzer was very aware
his actions were against the law, and he should at the very least
resign his office, if not be prosecuted for soliciting prostitution.^[16]

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who crusaded against corporate
malfeasance, apparently lived in a glass house. He should immediately
resign in the wake of his near-admission that he was caught up in a
reported prostitution scandal.^[15]

I think that Elliot Spitzer should have known better. His apology and resignation are enough. I wouldn't punish him any further.^[16]
Sen. Vitter's number appeared on a prostitution phone list allegedly.
Senator Vitter remains in his seat currently. Gov. Spitzer, allegedly
and as of this moment, made a phone call for this prostitute. OK. So
now there are calls for his resignation.^[18] The Dan Lee Report » Blog Archive » Democratic NY Governor Elliot Spitzer admits to Googling more than the internet.^[18]

ALBANY
Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer, facing potential criminal charges for his
involvement with a high-end prostitution ring, was under growing
pressure Monday night to resign. ^[19] evidence that the opinion of Newsday is: Eliot Spitzer should resign for his involvement in a prostitution ring.^[20]
I don't see why Elliot Spitzer is resigning but I think that the public will appreciate it. ^[16]
Gov. Eliot Spitzer is set to resign Wednesday, sources tell CBS station
WCBS-TV, but insiders say he's going to use the resignation as a
bargaining chip to cut a deal with federal prosecutors and he won't
step down until that happens.^[21] Gov. Eliot Spitzer apologized Monday after it was reported he was linked to a prostitution ring, but he did not resign.^[21]

Prostitution
is ILLEGAL. He was involved with ILLEGAL activity. Just as R-Senator
Larry Craig resigned for propositioning a man in the bathroom. so
should D-Gov. Eliot Spitzer resign for this.^[22]
NEW YORK - Pressure mounted Tuesday on New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to
resign because of a prostitution scandal that has South Florida ties.^[23]

Spitzer Set To Resign at 11:00am Today

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:38:00 +0000

(Update: Lt. Governor David Paterson has requested that effective date of resignation be delayed until Monday to allow Patterson enough time to assemble a transition team and plan.)

(Update 2: Announcement has been moved to 11:30 am est)

According to the New York Times, Eliot Spitzer will hold a press conference at 11am est to announce his resignation. Spitzer is said to be informing his staff at this time of his decision to step down as Governor.

State Senator Joseph Bruno, next in line to become Lt. Governor, is said to be awaiting official notification.

As new details of Spitzer's alleged $80k expenditures (over a 10 year period) with the now infamous Emperor's Club VIP continued to come to light yesterday and earlier today, the Governor apparently decided to yield as Republican lawmakers in New York were moving forward with their plans for impeachment.

Though the Governor's plans are now appear certain, earlier today questions about whether Spitzer would choose to fight efforts to force his resignation were fueled by a report that he was continuing to assemble his legal team. The following press release announced that Michelle Hirshman, Spitzer's trusted 1st Deputy during his tenure as NY Attorney General, has joined the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as an attorney specializing in "white collar defense matters." One white collar defense matter in particular. In 1998 the New York Times had the following to say about Hirshman:

"Ms. Hirshman, who has been responsible for cases involving racketeering, narcotics and civil rights, has been involved in several prominent cases. Among those were the Government's prosecution of Ronald Reale, the former head of the Transit Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, on charges of money laundering, and Robert Garcia, the former Representative who was convicted of four counts of extortion in 1989."

Spitzer is said to being considered for prosecution under the formerly obscure 1910 Mann Act and structuring charges.

NY Shocker Part 3: Unredacted-Photocopy of the Full Un-Sealed Complaint

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:33:00 +0000

(VIEW THE MOST RECENT UPDATES HERE.)

(Update-the IRS has confirmed to CNN that ringleader Mark Brener was a currently enrolled IRS agent at the time of his arrest.)

Below is a copy of the full (UPDATE/APOLOGY contrary to the title of this post-this photocopy is actually redacted) Federal complaint against the Emperor's Club VIP. To the right is a screen capture of the rates charged by the Emperors Club VIP for its services.

Fact and irony in this case are truly stranger than fiction. When the story of Eliot Spitzer's alleged involvement with a prostitution ring ring broke, it was assumed that it was the good Governor who was caught in the controversy as a secondary target. This apparently was not the case. According to officials suspicious money transfers made by Spitzer were the impetus for the investigation that ultimately resulted in the take-down of The Emperor Club VIP.

Eliot (aka "Client 9"and "George Fox") Spitzer is alleged to have met with "Kristen", an Emperors Club VIP prostitute in room 871 of the Washington DC Mayflower Hotel on February 13th, 2008.

Surprisingly, the now infamous Federal wiretap capturing the telephone interaction between "Client 9" and the Emperors Club VIP representative was not a case of a Governor caught in a prostitution ring, but rather a prostitution ring caught in an investigation of the Governor.

A bank conducting transactions between Spitzer and a corporation linked to the alleged prostitution ring, QAT Consulting Group (run by Cecil Suwal, a defendant in the case) reported what is thought was suspicious activity.

Originally this activity was eyed by authorities as a possible indication of bribery. According to a story in the New York Times:

"At the outset, one official said, it seemed like a bread-and-butter inquiry into political corruption, the kind of case the F.B.I. squad, known internally by the designation C14, frequently pursues.

But before long, the investigators learned that the money was being moved to pay for sex and that the transactions were being manipulated to conceal Mr. Spitzer’s connection to payments for meetings with prostitutes, the official said."

As the investigation progressed, the true nature of the transactions came to light, resulting in Federal prostitution related charges being filed. Again, according to the New York Times:

"Last week, Ms. Lewis (Temeka Rachelle Lewis, 32)was one of four people charged by federal prosecutors in Manhattan with operating the prostitution ring. Also arrested were Mark Brener, 62, who is accused of heading the operation; Cecil Suwal, 23, who is said to have managed it day to day; and Tanya Hollander, 36, who worked part time as a booker."

Spitzer is now considering resignation. He will have little choice as New York Republican State Assembly minority leader Jim Tedisco leads a GOP campaign to pressure Spitzer into resignation by threatening to draw up articles of impeachment. Editorials in Newsweek, The New York Post and New York Daily News and other New York papers have have joined the chorus.

So here we find ourselves, watching the spectacle continue to unfold (It is now being reported that Spitzer may have spent up to $15,000 and been involved with the Emperors Club VIP for six months to ten years).

I wonder if, as Spitzer considers resignation, he will take any solace in knowing that one of his final acts as Governor (however inadvertent) will be to have taken down one last prostitution ring. Probably not.

Live by the sword...

NY Shocker P2: Emperors Club VIP Federal Indictment (Redacted) Text

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:26:00 +0000

VIEW UPDATES HERE.

What follows is the full (though redacted-Go Here (above) For the FULL unredacted version) Federal complaint/affidavit against the owners and operators of The Emporers Club VIP.

Elliot Spitzer, referenced as "client" 9, earlier today held a press conference addressing the controversy surrounding his alleged involvement with the prostitution ring (more pics here)run out of the club.

In yet another case of myth punctured by reality, Spitzer, aka"George Fox", allegedly used the Emperors Club VIP services on February 13, 2008. Kristen, the prostitute he allegedly met in room 871 of the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC, was described as in the following way in a NY Times Article. "She was 5-foot-5, 105 pounds. Pretty and petite."Whether Spitzer will resign is not yet clear. There are those on the left (James Carville)who point to the David Vitters controversy as indication that a public official need not resign when faced with prostitution allegations. Those in the center (myself included) and on the Right who are astonished that Spitzer's resignation wasn't announced at the press conference he held earlier today.

One thing is certain: This New York shocker isn't over by a long shot.

New York Shocker P1: Governor Eliot Spitzer's (Client 9) Alleged In Involvement With Prostitution Ring

noreply@blogger.com (The Linden Row) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:52:00 +0000

Will Spitzer (AKA "George Fox") Choose The McGreevey Option?

(VIEW THE MOST RECENT UPDATES HERE.)

Read the full (Redacted) Text of the Emperors Club Federal Indictment Here (or Above).
The Governor is said to have been recorded making arrangements to pay for and meet a prostitute (Kristen) in Room #871 Mayflower Hotel, Washington D.C. on Feb 13, 2008
(See more Screen captures like those to the right at The Hufington Post.)

Cheering broke out on NYSE floor as news that the man, who was seen as an anti-Wall Street Attorney general, was caught in a very public case of hypocrisy.

The Governor, identified Federal telephone wiretaps as Client 9, spoke at approx. 3:15pm EST and addressed this salacious controversy by apologizing for his actions and saying he would take time with his family to sort things out.

In that address he said that politics should be about more than one man and that the welfare of the State of New York and its constituents should be the primary concern. This line of reasoning appears to be setting the stage for an impending resignation. Read the full text of his statement here.

Earlier today he informed his staff that he has been involved in a prostitution ring . Ironically, the man who sought ethics reform, and held himself as an ethical pillar, may be guilty of the very things he railed so loudly against.

The New York Times, earlier today published this story. The AP published this follow-up shortly thereafter.

Cleint #9, identified as Spitzer, is said to have been recorded by Federal agents making arrangements to meet a prostitute (Kristin) in Room #871 of the Washington DC Mayflower Hotel Feb 13. The governor payed $4300 and was recorded discussing making arrangements to get an additional $2700 to pay his remaining balance (and the possibility of paying an additional $1500 for additional services). Additionally the Governor is said to have been taped making arrangements for future rendezvous, and addressing small details such as payment for the bourbon in the room.

This all started with one of take-down last Thursday of the high profile Emperor's Club VIP. The club billed itself as a service providing introductions for wealthy men and investment advice. The service charged up to $5500 per hour, and the list of clients seized in the raid was rumored to include the name of a "high profile public official."

In addition to the wiretap recordings, the Feds apparently also have recovered the electronic records of Spitzer's text messages to the woman co-ordinating the details of this now ill-fated rendezvous.

What They're Saying Around The Rest Of The Web

NEW YORK (AP) — Four people were arrested Thursday and accused of
organizing a prostitution ring that charged wealthy clients in Europe
and the U.S. thousands of dollars for prostitutes rated by diamonds.
The conspiracy charges against the man and three women accuse them of
running the Emperors Club VIP ring from at least December 2004, U.S.
Attorney Michael Garcia said. On its Web site, the company displays
photographs of the prostitutes' bodies, with their faces hidden, along
with hourly rates depending on whether the prostitutes were rated with
one diamond, the lowest ranking, or seven diamonds, the highest. ^[1]
U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia announced that charges were unsealed in
Manhattan accusing the four of participating in a prostitution ring
that called itself Emperors Club VIP. Authorities said the defendants
arranged connections between wealthy men and more than 50 prostitutes
in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.^[2]

Prosecutors say the four used the Emperors Club to arrange connections between
wealthy male clients and more than 50 prostitutes in, among other
places, New York City, Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, Miami, Florida;
London and Paris.^[3]

According to court documents obtained by WNBC.com, the Emperors Club
was used to connect wealthy male clients with more than 50 prostitutes
in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.^[4]

The payments were made to U.S. banks in the names of front companies set up
by Brener and Suwal, including two accounts named "QAT Consulting
Group, Inc." and "QAT International, Inc." Using a Web site to
advertise its prostitution services, the Emperors Club displayed
pictures of the prostitutes' bodies and ranked them using a scale of
one to seven diamonds. Some clients were offered a "buy-out clause"
allowing them direct access to a prostitute without having to use the
services of the club, court papers state.^[4]

To conceal the illegal nature of the business, Brener and Suwal
allegedly received prostitution proceeds in United States bank accounts
in the names of front companies, including two accounts in the names of
'''QAT Consulting Group Inc.,''' and '''QAT International, Inc.''' The
Emperors Club advertised their prostitution services in part through
the use of a website that included photographs of Emperors Club
prostitutes''' bodies, with their faces hidden, along with hourly rates
for different categories of prostitutes.^[3]

The defendants charged the clients fees ranging from $1,000 to more than
$5,500 per hour for prostitution services. The Emperors Club allegedly
took in more than $1 million in illicit proceeds from its international
prostitution business. It accepted payment in the form of cash,
American Express charges, wire transfers, and money orders, prosecutors
said.^[3]

According to the Website, the Emperors Club charged $1,000 per hour for
a three-diamond prostitute, and $3,100 per hour for a seven-diamond
prostitute. The website also offered the Emperors Club'''s most valued
clients '''membership''' in the '''Icon Club,''' a status which allowed
the clients to access restricted areas of the Website and permitted
them to schedule appointments with the most highly-ranked prostitutes,
whose fees started at $5,500 per hour. According to the website, in
certain circumstances, the Emperors Club also offered its clients the
opportunity to exercise a '''buy-out clause,''' which permitted them to
purchase direct access to one of the Emperors Club'''s prostitutes
without having to contact the agency.^[3]

Much of the complaint traced how law enforcement authorities learned about
the business through tape-recorded telephone calls and text messages.
For instance, two of the defendants discussed on Feb. 7 that an
Emperors Club client had complained that one of their prostitutes was
"more sex than sexy," the document said. Four days later, two of those
charged exchanged text messages noting that the three-day rates for two
prostitutes were $50,000 and $35,000, respectively, Hosey said.^[5]

The our people are accused of federal prostitution crimes in connection
with the Emperors Club VIP. Two of the suspects are also charged with
money laundering.^[6]

NEW YORK -- Key members of an international prostitution and money
laundering ring, known as the Emperors Club VIP, were arrested Thursday
by IRS and FBI agents, prosecutors told WNBC.com.^[4]

NEW YORK (AP) - An international prostitution ring that charged wealthy
clients in Europe and the United States up to $5,500 an hour for the
body of their choice was stripped of its high-class veneer with the
arrest of four organizers, prosecutors announced Thursday.^[5]

Federal prosecutors have charged four people with running an
international prostitution ring headquartered in Manhattan that charged
clients up to $5,500 an hour.^[7]

Four organisers and managers of the international ring were arrested by U.S.
authorities and charged with conspiracy to violate federal prostitution
laws, Newsday.com reported. Another two of the men were also accused of
attempting to launder more than $1.08 million in illicit proceeds from
business.^[8]

Lewis's lawyer, Daniel Gordon, declined to comment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael H. Dolinger ordered that Brener be held
without bail after prosecutors said $600,000 in cash and an Israeli
passport were found in his apartment. Brener's lawyer, Jennifer Brown,
said her client was a U.S. citizen who had lived in the United States
for 20 years. Suwal was not immediately able to post her $500,000 bail.
Her lawyer, Daniel Parker, said she denies the charges. "We're going to
conduct a thorough investigation into the charges," he said. "At the
end of the day, we think she'll be completely vindicated." Assistant
U.S. Attorney Dan Stein said he believed the arrests shut down the
ring. ^[1]

NEW YORK - Four organizers and managers of an international ring were
arrested after they ranked prostitutes on a Web site with one to seven
diamonds -- charging wealthy clients $2,000 extra for a seven-diamond
woman, prosecutors said Thursday.^[2]

A three-diamond prostitute would cost $1,000 per hour while a
seven-diamond prostitute would charge $3,100, prosecutors said. The
Icon Club allowed access to the most highly ranked prostitutes at
$5,500 an hour, they said.^[5]

Prosecutors say that the club had 50 prostitutes who billed between
$1,000 and $5,500 an hour and as much as $50,000 for a three-day
engagement.^[7]

Realist, prostitutes that charge between $1,000 to $5,500 an hour are generally not slaves. They are professional athletes.^[9] Fees for the prostitutes ranged from $1,000 to more than $5,500 per hour, officials said.^[4]

The appointments, made by way of on online booking service, cost between
$1,000 and $5,500 an hour and could be paid for with cash, credit, wire
transfers or money orders, the complaint said.^[9]
The criminal complaint states IRS agents discovered that clients made
payments for services in cash, American Express charges, wire transfers
and money orders beginning in 2004.^[4]
Brener and Suwal each face an additional 20 years in prison, if
convicted of the money laundering charge. The group's website, which
can be access through an internet archiving service, described its
services in an indirect manner. A section of the site, Portfolio, had a
selection of photos of women, all with their faces obscured.^[8]
Mr. Brener and Ms. Suwal each face an additional 20 years in prison, if
convicted on charges of laundering nearly $1 million dollars through
two front companies, QAT Consulting Group Inc. and QAT International
Inc.^[9]

If
convicted of a conspiracy charge to violate federal prostitution laws,
Ms. Lewis and Ms. Hollander could face a maximum of five years in
prison. target="_blank"^[9]
Mark Brener, Cecil Suwal, Temeka Rachelle Lewis and Tanya Hollander
have been charged with violating federal prostitution statutes.^[4]
The four persons charged are Mark Brener, Cecil Suwal, Temeka Lewis,
and Tanya Hollander. They are charged with several crimes, including
conspiring to send prostitutes across state lines to engage in sex.^[7]

Brener
and Suwal were also charged with conspiring to launder more than $1
million in illicit proceeds from the prostitution crimes.^[3]
Brener, accused of being the leader and recruiter of the prostitutes,
and Suwal, accused of controlling the operation's bank accounts, also
were charged with conspiracy to launder more than $1 million in illicit
proceeds.^[1]

Brener
and Suwal are also charged with laundering more than $1 million of the
proceeds from the illegal operation, U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said.^[4]

According
to the United States attorney'''s office in Manhattan, the leader of
the ring was Mark Brener, 62, of New Jersey, who delegated day-to-day
responsibility of the business to Cecil Suwal, 23, also of New Jersey.^[9]
The United States attorney's office said the leader of the ring was
Mark Brener, 62, of New Jersey, who delegated operational duties to
Cecil Suwal, 23, also of New Jersey, the newspaper reported.^[8]

The ring was known as the Emperor'''s Club VIP and had 50 prostitutes
available for appointments in New York, Paris, Washington, Miami and
London, according to a federal complaint issued in United States
District Court in Manhattan. ^[9]

All four were arrested Thursday morning. In a criminal complaint filed
in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, FBI agent Kenneth Hosey said
clients were told they could pay with a wire transfer to the Emperors
Club because it would show up on records as QAT Consulting to make it
appear to be a business transaction.^[5]

Brener was allegedly the leader of the Emperors Club, with ultimate
decision-making authority. He recruited prospective prostitutes,
determined how to market the Club''' sprostitutes to clients, and
resolved problems that arose.^[3]

Suwal was the day-to-day organizer of the club'''s operations. She
controlled the Emperors Club bank accounts, supervised the booking
agents, and received applications from the prospective prostitutes.^[3]

In connection with Thursday'''s takedown, the FBI and IRS-CID executed
three search warrants on locations connected to the Emperors Club's
operations and four seizure warrants for bank accounts containing
proceeds of the organization's criminal activities. Brener. 62, and
Suwal, 23, both reside in New Jersey.''^[3] Brener was the leader while Suwal ran the day-to-day operations of the Emperors Club, officials said.^[4]

The defendants, prosecutors say, were associated with an escort service
called the Emperors Club. According to its Web site, the Emperors Club
provides introductions to models, as well as investment services and
contemporary art sales. The Emperors Club bills itself on its Web site
as the "elite recreation venue and private club for those accustomed to
excellence."^[7] Prosecutors say the prostitution ring operated in Manhattan, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, London, and Paris. ^[7]

Federal authorities have announced the arrests of four people accused
of running an online prostitution ring that had clients in major cities
from New York to Paris and took in more than $1 million in profits over
four years.^[9]

Well Id say Tax the service and take in the revenues. It would better
serve for the Government to prosecute the Pfizers/Merril
Lynch/Chase/etc and the Enron's of the world along with corrupt
City/State and Federal Agencies and go after other white collar crimes.
After all at 5 grand an hour the people able to pay for such services
come from White collar professions that allow for making such services
possible for them to pay for. I would say pass the law that
prostitution is legal provided they pay a tax, their health coverage is
paid for and compulsorily mandated and managed.^[9]

Like some of the other posters, I think there are more important
targets for law enforcement than a high class prostitution ring. The
service they provided isn't legal, for a number of debatable reasons,
and allowing it to operate with impunity violates the spirit and the
letter of the justice system. The only thing that gives me pause is the
length of the jail terms they're facing.^[9]

Thousands of years of prostitution can't be wrong. Or you rather have
men raping unwilling women? All prostitution needs it's legalization in
order for the women not to be abused; the same way they protect women
from sweat shops by forcing the employers to be half decent-they don't
think about closing the shops, just make them comply with labor laws-,
the same way they should protect prostitutes so they can go to work
without worrying about abusive pimps and stupid law enforcement.^[9]

People have always traded sex for privilege or power. Sometimes it's called
prostitutionat others, marriage. I personally think prostitution should
remain illegal because very, VERY few of those girls really are there
willingly. If it's not coerced and a woman really and truly enters into
the arrangement willingly, I have a hard time convincing myself that
it's wrong with a "just because it is" explanation. It's just as wrong
as a woman who marries a powerful man for money, or women who marry for
visas.^[9]

Would anyone explain to me what's the difference between a prostitute
and a wife who stays with her husband not for love anymore, but because
she needs economic support? They both do it for the money. I don't see
any difference between a prostitute and a wife in an arranged marriage,
where parents choose their children's spouses in order for the two
families to become a bigger economic power. Now, who determines that
prostitution is bad? And why? It brings to my mind the case of the guy
who sold his mother. The one who bought her favors, left satisfied; she
enjoy the sex, which was not frequent anymore, and her son walked away
with a few bucks. What's wrong with this deal? The fact that's the
oldest profession, proves that they provide a necessary service.^[9]

U.S. authorities have smashed an online escort service that gave its
prostitutes a one to seven diamond-ranking, with a "seven diamond"
woman costing $US5500 ($5921) an hour.^[8]

Lewis and Hollander were accused of arranging meetings between
prostitutes and clients. They were released late Thursday on $250,000
bail each. Hollander's lawyer, Mary Mulligan, said her client "leads a
quiet life."^[1]

Lewis and Hollander were allegedly booking agents for the club. They
took requests from clients and coordinated meetings with prostitutes
over the telephone, and referred issues relating to payment to Suwal.^[3]

Suwal oversaw the ring's accounts and oversaw two booking agents, Tameka
Rachelle Lewis, 32 of Brooklyn, and Tanya Hollander, 36, of Rhinebeck,
New York, according to court papers quoted by the paper.^[8]

Ms. Suwal controlled the ring's bank accounts and oversaw two booking
agents, identified by the authorities as Tameka Rachelle Lewis, 32 of
Brooklyn, and Tanya Hollander, 36, of Rhinebeck, N.Y., according to
court papers.^[9]

Yes, I would call that a basic human right; even if it requires the consent
of two people, so does entering a contract and I would say that's a
protected human right as well. Grant you, it's only truly been
recognized in the U.S. since the SCOTUS struck down the last remaining
sodomy laws a few years back. ^[9]

In the case of organ contracts, I don't know if allowing the wealthy to
have an advantage benefits everyone. If organ contracts were allowed,
wouldn't this increase the number of organs in the market and
potentially help more people than the current system? Or would wealthy
people buy up all the organs themselves, thereby helping no one but the
wealthy? Bottom line - questions about organ and sex contracts are not
really moral in nature, but social/factual in nature. Society makes
this distinction for sex because of society's history.^[9] Having consentual sex is not illegal, and neither should the contract to have sex be illegal."^[9]
Having consentual sex is not illegal, and neither should the contract
to have sex be illegal. It seems like the only contract to have
consentual sex that has been respected is the marital contract.^[9]

Wow - just had an idea - marry the prostitute, pay her, and annul it the next day.
When did prostituion get elevated to a protected human right? Or do you
mean the right to have sex in general? And even then its not a human
right since usually, parties need consent of somebody else to have sex.
I have a right to sell my legs partly because no one else can claim
that they have a right to them (until I sell them that is). ^[9]

Well, that was essentially my point. What I was looking for was a
justification as to why society makes this distinction when it comes to
sex (i.e., consensual sex between adults is only criminal if money
exchanges hands. "And when did prostituion get elevated to a protected
human right? Or do you mean the right to have sex in general? And even
then its not a human right since usually, parties need consent of
somebody else to have sex."^[9]

With respect to the arguments over whether one should prosecute prostitution
or not, criticize the politicians, not the DAs doing a good job.
Personally, I believe respecting women's rights in society is
appropriate, and so is this prosecution for prostitution. I am speaking
about women's rights as a whole, rather than an individual woman's
right to do a disservice to her gender and make some cash.^[9]

I couldnt think of a worse way to spend our tax dollars and waste valuable man-hours than fighting high-end prostitution rings.^[9]
Like every other online crime, removing these perps will only clear the
way for another entrepreneur to fill the "need" for an internet-based
prostitution ring.^[9]

Do not confuse the act/service/product with the "consumer".
Its people who are abusive and dangerous. When an act is criminalized,
is it really a big surprise that the majoirty who commit the act are
dangerous and absuvie in nature? Actually, a good place to answer this
question is Nevada where prostitution is legal - how much abuse takes
place there compared with a state where prostitution is illegal. ^[9]

The courts in at least California have ruled that a third party paying
two people to have sex and filming it are protected by freedom of
expression. They ruled that prostitution was when one person (typically
male) paid another person (typically female) to have sex with them.^[9]
Newsflash Tony - we are all treated as commodities - prostitutes sell
sex and I sell my intellect. Commodifying people does not necessarily
dehumanize them - again, confusing the act with the actor. I infer from
your statement, however, that you dehumanize people who are treated as
commodities, such as prostitutes.^[9]

A $1000 to $5,500 an hour for a la carte sex isn't unreasonable when
considering the overhead of a wife who provides infrequent
unenthusiastic sex.^[9]

The accused ring leaders took in more than $1 million, law enforcement officials say.^[7] Manhattan prosecutors busted a multi-million dollar international prostitute ring Thursday.^[6]

Authorities said the defendants arranged connections between wealthy
men and more than 50 prostitutes in New York, Washington, D.C., Los
Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.^[5]

The Website ranked the prostitutes using a ranking system from one to
seven diamonds, and charged hourly rates according to the assigned
ranking.^[3]

SOURCES

1. The Associated Press: Feds: Upscale Prostitution Ring Busted
2. Prostitution ring catered to wealthy clients in U.S., Europe -- Newsday.com
3. International Prostitution Ring Busted
4. Prosecutors: Leaders Of International Prostitution, Money Laundering Ring Arrested - Investigations News Story - WNBC New York
5. NY: Prostitutes catered to wealthy clients in US, Europe - NewsFlash - SiLive.com
6. NY1: Top Stories
7. Four Charged in High-Priced Prostitution Ring - March 6, 2008 - The New York Sun
8. Busted: online escort ring was a real gem - Technology - theage.com.au
9. Federal Charges in Online Prostitution Ring - City Room - Metro - New York Times Blog