Cleveland Browns owner truck-stop chain to pay $92M fine

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The truck-stop company owned by Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has agreed to pay a $92 million penalty for cheating customers out of promised rebates and discounts, authorities announced Monday.

In an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Pilot Flying J has accepted responsibility for the criminal conduct of its employees, ten of whom have pleaded guilty to participating in the scheme.

For its part, the government has agreed not to prosecute the nation's largest diesel retailer as long as Pilot abides by the agreement. Among other conditions, Pilot has agreed to cooperate with an ongoing investigation of current and former employees. The agreement does not protect any individual at Pilot from prosecution.

The agreement was signed by U.S. Attorney Bill Killian on Thursday and attorneys for Knoxville-based Pilot on Friday.

Nashville criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor David Raybin, who has followed the case but is not involved, said the agreement most likely signals that Pilot CEO Jimmy Haslam will not face charges.

"No prosecutor would enter into an agreement like this, ask for this kind of sanction, unless they didn't have enough evidence to indict Haslam," he said. "Also, Pilot would not agree to pay unless they felt the government would not prosecute him."

Get your bets down, Coming out .... with a point, or two.I

I started working in the casinos of Reno in 1956, Reno was a small town, Tahoe was just getting started, Vegas was Vegas, but not like it is today. There was some wagering going on around the state, there were illegal casinos around the country, none of which advertised.

I have observed the growth in the industry, always wondered WHY, an industry that survives due to people losing money. Then growth started, the Indian Casinos, Atlantic City, most states had casinos, I think there are over 1500 or so, today. As "sharp" as gamblers are, why did they not see that there was, in fact, a saturation point. Atlantic City is sinking into the sea, billion dollar casinos are closing. It seems to me that I have heard the figure 30, 30 casinos in close proximity to Atlantic City. Is anyone surprised?

My guess is that many casinos are not doing as well as anticipated. Politics is GREEDY ... they legalize gambling, the casinos open, money rolls in, at first ..... and then, the trickle down happens. Why and how does ANYONE, anyone, not realize WHERE the money comes from to construct, maintain and sustain, a casino. It has always been a source of amazement to me.

We had some come to Reno, as a vacation, they enjoyed "wagering" ......... and ..... could afford to lose what they had set aside to gamble. They were in a MINORITY. I have seen the "look" on a face, when they last of their money, was lost. I have had people, normal rational people, beg me to purchase a ring or a watch or some jewelry because they had "lost it all" and needed money to get home.

In my time there, I personally knew three people, non gamblers, who lost it all, and committed suicide. I knew a man in Reno, the appearance of a "bum" ... who had sold a business and their home on the East coast, were on their way to California, stopped in Reno, "caught the bug" and lost it all. He scrounged and begged for coins, every dime went to the Nevada Club, which, in those days had a dime crap table. I have taken some of those dimes from him, and when the "seven" took his dime from him, our eyes have met. I could never find words, to adequately explain that look. He lost his fortune to Lincoln Fitzgerald at The Nevada Club, where I worked. I was there the day that security, due to his "odor" .... 86'd him, escorted him to the door and told him to never come back. That is the cold mentality of a casino.

"If we build it, they will come." Only if they have money and there is no place closer .... they should have thought of that in Atlantic City.

Tillamook cheese vans stolen in California found

A last minute thought .... just noticed, Manteca, California .... in Spanish, Manteca means ...... LARD ... Where do you live? "I live in Lard, California."

MANTECA, Calif. (AP) — Police in Central California have found three bright orange Tillamook cheese vans that were stolen over the weekend.

Manteca police say authorities found the restored Volkswagen minibuses, worth $100,000 each, in a recently rented storage locker in Copperopolis around 8:30 p.m. Monday. They were stolen about 50 miles away in Manteca, where they had stopped on a tour promoting the Tillamook County Creamery Association's dairy products.

Police say the vehicles did not appear damaged. They say there are several outstanding suspects, though they did not release information about their identities.

It was not immediately clear what led authorities to the storage locker.

A truck and trailer that were part of the entourage were found torched earlier.

How STUPID would someone have to be to think they could steal these and think that no one would notice, even repainted they are rare ...

White House contests subpoena of top Obama political aide

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House asked the Republican chairman of a congressional committee on Monday to lift a subpoena against President Barack Obama's political adviser, who has been called to testify on Wednesday about his office's operations.

Representative Darrell Issa, chairman of the House of Representatives' Oversight and Government Reform Committee, last week subpoenaed Obama political adviser David Simas to testify about how his office complies with the Hatch Act, a law that forbids most federal government employees from engaging in partisan political activity.

Simas is director of the White House Office of Political Strategy and Outreach. Recent presidents, both Democratic and Republican, have all had at least one top political adviser in a position similar to that of Simas.

The subpoena is "precipitate and surprising in light of our clear willingness to work with you to meet your informational needs," White House counsel Neil Eggleston wrote in a letter to Issa on Monday.

Eggleston asked Issa to lift the subpoena. The letter did not say whether Simas would be allowed to testify if forced. Aides are hoping a briefing that White House legal staff are to provide to Issa on Tuesday will answer any remaining questions he might have.

"While I am hopeful that we can work together constructively to address your stated interests, your subpoena is not helpful to these efforts," Eggleston wrote.

Rookie Jersey City Cop Melvin Santiago Killed During Armed Robbery

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — A gunman who killed a rookie officer responding to a report of an armed robbery at a drugstore early Sunday never tried to rob the store and instead lay in wait for police, telling a witness to watch the news because he was "going to be famous," authorities said.

Lawrence Campbell shot Officer Melvin Santiago in the head shortly after he and his partner arrived at the 24-hour Walgreens at around 4 a.m., Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said. Other officers returned fire at Campbell, killing him.

Campbell, 27, of Jersey City, was one of three suspects wanted by police for a prior homicide, Fulop said.

Fulop said Campbell was carrying a knife when he walked into Walgreens and asked for directions to the greeting card aisle. He assaulted an armed security guard at the store and snatched his gun, Fulop said.

According to Fulop, Campbell approached a witness and apologized for his conduct, then said to watch the news later because he was "going to be famous," then waited for officers to arrive and shot Santiago with what police believe was the guard's weapon.

"Today was a horrible day for Jersey City," Fulop said.

Dozens of officers stood single file at the entrance of the hospital and saluted as Santiago's flag-draped body was carried into an ambulance. A handful of younger officers consoled one another as they walked away. Santiago, 23, graduated from the police academy in December.

Campbell's wife, has been vocal, made comments ..."he should have killed more, meaning her husband." Her attitude boggles the mind ... and in some posts, there are others who agree with her. I have listened to her statements ... I am heading for the kitchen, for some Gin, tonic water, ice and lime juice .... there are no other comments to be made ............ we are sinking fast.

Tracy Morgan sues Wal-Mart for crash that killed 1

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Former "Saturday Night Live" star Tracy Morgan has sued Walmart over a highway crash involving one of its drivers that left him seriously injured and a fellow comedian dead.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, claims Walmart was negligent when a driver of one of its tractor-trailers rammed into Morgan's limousine van June 7. The complaint claims the retail giant should have known that its driver had been awake for over 24 hours and that his commute of 700 miles from his home in Georgia to work in Delaware was "unreasonable." It also alleges the driver fell asleep at the wheel.

"As a result of Walmart's gross, reckless, willful, wanton, and intentional conduct, it should be appropriately punished with the imposition of punitive damages," according to the complaint. Morgan's lawsuit seeks a jury trial and punitive and compensatory damages.

In a statement issued Saturday, Walmart reiterated that it was "cooperating fully" in the ongoing investigation. "We know it will take some time to resolve all of the remaining issues as a result of the accident, but we're committed to doing the right thing for all involved," Walmart said.

German intel worker suspected of US spying

DO NOT under any circumstances, OPEN any links in this BLOG. They are placed there by a VICIOUS VIRUS ... who casually PIGGYBACKED into my computer. 

It would be easy to REMOVE ..... if I could find it!!!!

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Friday that she had been informed of the arrest of a German man who, according to media reports, is an intelligence service employee accused of spying for the United States.

Federal prosecutors said a 31-year-old German man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of spying for foreign intelligence services. They did not identify the suspect or the intelligence services.

"The Chancellor was also informed of this case yesterday," Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin. He declined to comment on reports by Der Spiegel magazine and the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung that the man worked for Germany's foreign intelligence service, known by its German acronym BND.

The newspapers, which didn't identify their sources, reported that the man had passed on information about a German parliamentary committee investigating the activities of U.S. and other intelligence agencies in Germany.

Seibert said committee members had also been informed of the arrest.

"I will have to leave the conclusions to you," he said.

Reports that the National Security Agency spied on German citizens, including on Merkel's cellphone, have caused frictions between Berlin and Washington since they were first published last year, based on documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Martina Renner, a member of the opposition Left Party on the parliamentary panel, said latest spy case indicated that anyone who examined Snowden's revelations in detail was subject to scrutiny by U.S. intelligence agencies.

To whom it may concern .........

I located an address for one of my POP UP PARTNERS .... sent them this email .....

We became associated, by chance, from some innocent program I downloaded, and now, you INTRUDE on many of my actions. YOU and one other, of your same "ilk" have gotten me to the point where I no longer enjoy any of my time on the computer. My blog I have practically given up on, your invasive links within my copy, annoy me and my readers.

I take steps to REMOVE you, and you come right back. You are tenacious in your quest to impose your ads on me and my readers. I have started a list of YOUR advertisers, promoting it on my blog, Facebook, and Twitter, letting them all know of the QUALITY of advertisers who sink to this lowest of all advertising forms.

I am retired, have been on the internet since its infancy, but you and others who have diabolically conceived of these dastardly advertising schemes have taken my level of interest to next to nothing.

I surrendered on my blog today, I have given in to you and your kind, I no longer have the knowledge or the ambition to try to deal with you. I may go purchase a typewriter, and just mail, to my friends so that they will not have to tolerate your abusive, irritating and intolerable advertising policies.

I only wish that I had the knowledge to reciprocate and invade your computers.

If any are married and have children, be sure to tell them what you do for a living .... in detail, they will be so proud. Your "industry" has lowered the bar, and so many "topics" that were once beneath you, are elevated to a higher level. I doubt that the "bar" can be lowered any more.

I will post and give it a try ..........

We just got home, had a nice lunch at the Longhorn Steakhouse in Heath, Ohio, did some browsing and shopping at T. J. Maxx until I realized that their prices were not as good as they used to be, and now are home. Our waitress there, turned out to live nearby, she is having a "Fireworks" party at her place, as we are close to some of the local displays.

We sometimes have people drop in, at this time of year, because of our close proximity to some of the displays.

After putting groceries up, I went out on the porch, arranged the chairs, and "cranked up and raised the umbrella" on our table out there. I then entered our apartment, confronted my wife, and uttered something to here that I unfortunately have not been able to do in many years ......

"Honey, I got it up!"

I GIVE UP

DO NOT under any circumstances, OPEN any links in this BLOG. They are placed there by a VICIOUS VIRUS ... who casually PIGGYBACKED into mycomputer. 

It would be easy to REMOVE ..... if I could find it!!!!

THEY WIN

NO POSTS UNTIL I CAN GET RID OF ALL THESE .........

THINGS THAT ARE TAKING OVER MY COMPUTER

VICIOUS BA _ _ _ _ _ S!

War hero, Olympian Zamperini dies at 97

DO NOT under any circumstances, OPEN any links in this BLOG. They are placed there by a VICIOUS VIRUS ... who casually PIGGYBACKED into my computer. It would be easy to REMOVE ..... if I could find it!!!!

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Louis Zamperini, an Olympic distance runner and World War II veteran who survived 47 days on a raft in the Pacific after his bomber crashed, then endured two years in Japanese prison camps, has died. He was 97.

Zamperini's death was confirmed by Universal Pictures studio spokesman Michael Moses. A family statement released early Thursday said Zamperini had been suffering from pneumonia.

''After a 40-day long battle for his life, he peacefully passed away in the presence of his entire family, leaving behind a legacy that has touched so many lives,'' the family statement said. ''His indomitable courage and fighting spirit were never more apparent than in these last days.''

Zamperini is the subject of Laura Hillenbrand's best-selling book ''Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption,'' which is being made into a movie directed by Angelina Jolie and is scheduled for a December release.

A high school and University of Southern California track star, Zamperini competed in the 5,000-meter run at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He finished eighth but caught attention by running the final lap in 56 seconds.

In World War II, he was a bombardier on a U.S. Army Air Forces bomber that crashed in the Pacific Ocean during a reconnaissance mission. He and one of the other surviving crew members drifted for 47 days on a raft in shark-infested waters before being captured by Japanese forces. He spent more than two years as a prisoner of war, surviving torture.

Afghanistan subcontractor cheated workers

Federal investigators are examining whether a military subcontractor underpaid scores of medical workers in Afghanistan, pocketing federal funds that the government intended the company use to pay its employees.

A lawsuit brought in Indiana last week by Laura Hawkins of Bloomington claims Onsite OccupationalHealth and Safety Inc. underpaid her for the 84-hour weeks she routinely worked. Twenty other former employees have since joined the lawsuit, which has been moved to federal court. The complaint seeks class action status.

OHS, which is based in Princeton, Indiana, denies the allegations, which could involve more than $7 million in dispute. It says Hawkins was paid appropriately and the claims have no basis.

Alex Bronstein-Moffly, a spokesman for the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, told The Associated Press an investigation is being conducted but declined to elaborate.

The complaint claims that OHS cheated its employees and the government by keeping money that should have been paid out for overtime.

OHS, a subcontractor for another company that is a primary contractor for the Army, provides medical services to U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Hawkins, a radiologic technician, worked for OHS at a site in Afghanistan.

The lawsuit claims Hawkins and other OHS employees were routinely required to work 84 hours a week or more without being paid at an overtime rate for work over 40 hours. The complaint maintains that OHS was obligated under terms of its contracts with the government and its primary contractor to pay overtime. The lawsuit says OHS refused to release those documents, but that the company is required to abide by federal and Indiana wage laws.

"By retaining monies which the U.S. government intended for payment of wages to OHS employees, OHS is unjustly and wrongfully enriching itself," the lawsuit says.

Just good business .................

Watch the Eleven o'clock news, talking about the upcoming fireworks happening here in Central Ohio.

What a great business, produce fireworks, for 364 days, sell them all,  then, on that 365th day, they all are exploded, used up and gone. And, the customers come to you.

Just as good as raising flowers. Every Summer they flock to your store, purchase live flowers, they buy them, plant them in their gardens, enjoy them for the Summer, and in the Winter, they die. And, you start all over.

Grass is a great business, even better, lawnmowers. You have grass, you nurture it, fertilize it to make it grow, and it does. So, you mow it, then fertilize some more, to make it grow and then, mow it again.

I wonder how much  money, will be spent around the country, this weekend, for fireworks, many millions, and then some ..... all up in smoke by the weekend.

A REPLY to an earlier post ......................

TartanMarine has left a new comment on your post "From a man, Robert A. Hall, who is tired!":


Thank you for posting my piece, "I'm Tired." Please note I am NOT the actor, Robert D. Hall, on CSI. Someone attached his photo and bio and forwarded.

People who wish to comment on it can find it on my blog: www.tartanmarine.blogspot.com under February of 09. If you liked it, you may also like the posts below, or my almost daily political digest. ~Bob

I’m Tired

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html

This I believe

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/03/this-i-believe.html

The Coming Collapse of the American Republic

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/03/essay-coming-collapse-of-american.html

Economic Facts of Life

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/08/economic-facts-of-life.html

Why I’m a Republican

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-im-republican.html

Change that would fix America

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/03/change-that-would-fix-america.html

I’m dying

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/05/im-dying.html

Global Warming Articles

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/03/global-warming-articles.html

Historical figures look at the stimulus bill

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/historical-figures-look-at-stimulus.html

Agent Orange Fact Sheet

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/12/agent-orange.html

E-mail courtesy and techniques

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2010/06/e-mail-courtesy-and-techniques.html

A Religion of Peace?

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/04/religion-of-peace.html

Angry Liberals

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2008/11/angry-liberals.html

When the guardians fail

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2008/11/when-guardians-fail.html

Reading list for the war on Terror

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2008/11/reading-list-for-war-on-terror.html

The Next Terrorist attack on America

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/09/essay-next-terrorist-attack-on-america.html

Includes my 1998 column predicting 9/11

Why the Future Looks Bleak

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-future-looks-bleak.html

Helping Obama

http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/10/helping-obama.html