What a difference a verdict makes.

A little over a month ago, [Helio Castroneves] was facing deportation or prison over tax-evasion charges. A brilliant racing career and his freedom rested in the hands of a Miami jury.

The Brazilian racer was acquitted on April 17. Today he won his third Indianapolis 500.

[more...]

The FTC is going after a company that uses those annoying (and illegal) robocalls to market its extended vehicle warranties. The company -- Florida based Transcontinental Warranty Inc. -- wasn't easy to find. Employees are instructed not to disclose the company's name, and they're fired if they break that rule.

Fortunately, a former employee got fed up after only four days on the job and contacted the FTC. The information he provided corroborated customer complaints about the company's deceptive practices.

[more ...]

This weekend cops in Colorado (and I'm sure elsewhere) resume their 100 day "The Heat is On" campaign to bust drunk drivers.

One police chief outside of Vail has a new plan. He wants to force those stopped to take a blood test. What about our law that says you can choose between breath and blood or choose to refuse (and lose your license) unless there's an accident with serious injuries? He doesn't care. He says his officers will get a search warrant for your blood.

The courts will probably shoot him down. [More...]

Susan Boyle is headed to the finals in Britain's Got Talent. Check out her funny reaction when the winner is announced.

The other winner: The dance group Diversity, who beat out Natalie.

The performances:

• Susan Boyle
• Diversity
• Natalie

I'm sure some people are following politics and crime today, but I'm not one of them.

So here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

President Obama tells C-Span he's a night owl. He sometimes stays up till midnight.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The TimesonLine quotes TalkLeft pal Terry Kindlon (who represented defendant Yassin Aref in the Albany terror case) on the latest New York Bronx Synagogue bust:

“This whole operation was a foolish waste of time and money,” claimed Terence Kindlon, a defence lawyer who represented the last terror suspect to be tried in New York state. “It is almost as if the FBI cooked up the plot and found four idiots to install as defendants.”

Kindlon’s complaints were echoed by other legal experts who have repeatedly questioned the FBI’s reliance on undercover informants – known as confidential witnesses (CWs) – who lure gullible radicals into far-fetched plots that are then foiled by the agents monitoring them.

Questions raised by the case: [More...]

The New York Times reports the U.S. has seized 101 tons of opium and narcotics in Afghanistan. 60 insurgents were killed.

The drugs were taken in a central market area in the town. A battle ensued in which, according to the American military, 60 insurgents were killed. An American military spokesman said the allies met a surprising level of resistance, fighting the militants for four days in gun battles and by aerial strikes.

Almost as an afterthought, the article adds:

The military said that commandos also found bomb-making materials, including 30 tons of ammonium nitrate, pressure plate triggers, military grade explosives and ammunition vests.

A recent Times piece on the informant at the center of alleged
Bronx synagogue terror plot is filled with uncritical thinking on the role of informants in terrorism cases.

The reporters acknowledge the centrality of the informant to the government's case--"The government case revolves significantly around the work of an informant who facilitated the men’s desire to mount a terrorist attack"--as well as the importance of informants in other terror cases since 9-11.[More...]

This town is psyched. The TL Kid tells me this is an event that might happen once every 25 years.

The Nuggets haven't lost at home since March -- 16 consecutive home games including 6 in the playoffs. They last played the Lakers in Denver on Feb. 27 and they won, 90-79.

I'm actually going to watch. If you are, please join in.

Update: End of first quarter, Nuggets up by 2. Can they keep the momentum? [More...]

Many Iraqis are unhappy that Steven Green will not be executed for the atrocities he committed in Iraq, including the rape of a teenage girl and the murder of her family. A Sunni leader considers the sentence "insulting for Iraq's honor" while a leader of the family's tribe said:

“This is a tribal issue, and we cannot accept any moderate sentence except death. His life is the only cost that we will accept.”

If execution is the only "moderate sentence" the tribe will accept, one wonders what a harsh sentence might look like. Killing Green's family, raping his children, and burning down his house? A belief in eye-for-an-eye punishment or revenge is the reason Americans most frequently cite for their support of the death penalty. While it isn't surprising to hear similar views expressed in Iraq, particularly with regard to Green's horrific crimes, killing for vengeance or honor is not justice. [more ...]

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend. The TL kid and I are going apartment hunting (for him, his lease is up). He gets to go to the Nuggets game tonight, thanks to his dad who has a box every season at the Pepsi Center. The local news says they are selling standing room only tickets for tonight. Granted, I know nothing about basketball, but wouldn't you have a better view watching at home on TV or at a local bar?

What's on your agenda this weekend?

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.