Obama's Blackberry

Matt Bai, who writes about politics for the New York Times Magazine, has put together a very funny compilation of Barack Obama's Blackberry messages for the LA Times. My fave exchange:

10:33 a.m.

To: George W. Bush

From: BHO

U were right about the nuke codes gag. Joint Chiefs have zero sense of humor. Your move in online Scrabble, BTW.

---

10:13 p.m.

To: George W. Bush

From: BHO

FYI, "talkation" is not a word. I challenged.

stolen from SFDB

Pics from a proud dad!

My longtime friend Joe is a photojournalist.

He's not a big e-mailer and only recently joined Facebook.

So when he sends me a photograph I know it's a big deal!

In the past 18+ years he's sent me exactly two photographs.

The first was back in the summer of 1990.

Joe sent me an extraordinary photograph of his brand new baby girl who was just two months old.

Joe was hired to shoot a gathering of of the original Mercury 7 astronauts and took baby Molly along for the ride.


That's Molly in the center being held by the widow of Mercury 7 astronaut Gus Grissom and surrounded by Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton.

Fast forward some 18 years. Joe sends me an e-mail last June 6 and attaches another pic of Molly who's all grown up. And hanging out with another American who has his sights set high.


Seems like she'd been working on Barack Obama's campaign for a few months and was part of an advance team that helped with a town meeting in Bristol, VA. and was lucky enough to have her picture taken with the "the boss."

Molly's on vacation now in Rome with her boyfriend (at left in above picture) and she just posted a note on her Facebook page that she can see the Pope's bedroom from the balcony of her apartment.

As for Joe, he tells me that he can't be prouder of Molly!

But that goes without saying.

Molly tells me in an e-mail that she doesn't think she's all that interesting.

A few of us beg to differ Molly! You're something special!

Brickell Ave. and SE 8th St., Feb. 2, 2009. 2:10pm

Bye bye Blago!

Keith Olbermann bid Blago adieu Friday night with a string of comedy clips.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Where's Carlos Alvarez Jr.? UPDATE

This afternoon someone anonymously left a comment on my Dec. 22 post regarding the release from prison after 13½ years of serial sexual predator Carlos Alvarez Jr., who just happens to be the son of Miami-Dade mayor Carlos Alvarez.

Some of the statements made by the commenter raise new questions about the way the case was handled by police in 1994. Couple that with the fact that the original case received very little media attention, any prudent person would conclude that this is a story that needs to be looked at again.

Because the author chose to remain anonymous, there's no way to verify the veracity of the statements he or she makes. But they're easy enough to check.

The commenter does however, drop enough clues about the case that leads me to believe that he or she knows what they're talking about.

More than a month after Joan Fleischman broke the story in the Herald and I followed up on my blog, not one media outlet (**coughcough jimdefede coughcough**) in South Florida has looked into any of the concerns raised in my original post.

Doesn't the fact that a violent sexual predator who kidnapped and raped several young girls at knifepoint and who was released from prison after only 13½ years lead even the most naive observer to conclude that perhaps some pressure from higher-ups was exerted and that maybe Alvarez Jr. is being extended special treatment?

And it seems to me that in light of the fact that many sexual predators are still forced to live under the bridge on the Julia Tuttle Causeway, that even the most recent journalism school graduate would become suspicious and take the time to make a few phone calls and see if Alvarez Jr. is also required to spend time under the bridge. And if not, why not?

Below is the comment left this morning on my original post. There are a few misspellings which I've left intact. The questions raised by the commenter are serious enough, it seems, to warrant a closer look by both the media and parole and probation authorities.

Before it's too late.

well they say the acorn doesn't fall from the tree.

i was a metro dade police officer when this happened.

i had a friend who actually handled the case and was excluded from his arrest because of who the rapist's father was.

his father used his position as assistant director to intimidate those officers involved in the collar.

what's worse is right after the arrest the subject was fed pizza and his choice of soft drink. he was treated more like a vip than the piece of garbage he really is.this all took place at the kendall district station 5.

how many slices of pizza and sodas did his victims get as he violated them at knife point.

the commenter above has no idea of what they are talking about.rape is an act of violence and control and there is a high degree of recitivisim. [sic]

rapist [sic] do not get cured especially those who have been incarcerated for long stretches at the university of hard knocks.

they only learn in prison how to be a better more successful rapist, and the author is right...i guarentee [sic] that when he starts up again...you will see that he will progress to disposing of his victims, deadmen can't testify.

i'm sure that his corrupt father, carlos alvarez sr, now the mayor, will wield his influence again to either hinder any investigation or get a light sentence for him...as he has done in the past.

i have seen many good police officers careers ruined by that man and his mccarthy tactics.

his abuse of power and sphere of influence has ruined many families and lives...just as his son carlos alvarez junior has with his victims.

time will tell...but mark my words..you won't see the last of their names in the media dispite [sic] the mayors corrupt practices and abuse of power.

maybe the justice dept. should take a good look...they can start with abuse of power and influence during the pinellas [sic] campaign.

signed
mdpd corruption watchdog.

Down and out on South Beach

OK, so you're a little down on your luck.

You've been wearing the same clothes for the past five days and you haven't eaten since last night.


But that sand feels mighty warm on your back and the soft breeze blowing in off the Atlantic takes your mind off the gnawing emptiness in your gut.

Or maybe you've been wearing those clothes all winter, haven't had a bath in months and can't remember the last time you actually sat down to a hot meal in a restaurant.


But you're spending the day on Miami Beach where the temperature hit 79 degrees today.

Earlier you picked up a newspaper and read that the temperature yesterday in New York City was 19 degrees at sunrise.

So while things could be a whole lot better at least you're not freezing your ass off.

But now it's time to go out and see if a kind stranger will give you a buck or two for a hamburger and a cup of coffee.

After that you'll worry about where you're going to sleep tonight.