Craigslist now officially has no "erotic services" or "adult services" categories worldwide. The event went almost unnoticed over the holiday weekend, unless of course you're one of those people that placed ads in adult categories outside of the US.
The company stated nothing in the news and one may only assume that it was the result of the US attack on adult ads and the work of anti-trafficking directives and groups. Obviously the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has a long reach, though Craigslist is a US company and that is where the effects are felt.
At this point Backpage still has these categories, but I have doubts that this will continue for long. This isn't the first post that I have made on the topic.
We should be clear here - it isn't sex trafficking that these people are concerned about; it is adult business. They utilize the valid cause of stopping sex trafficking to stop prostitution. To these groups prostitution and sex trafficking are one and the same thing. They must feel that women (or men for that matter) have no minds of their own and no rights with their own bodies.
According to the anti-trafficking groups all prostitutes are victims. Well, indeed we are all victims of our social and financial circumstances, but I do not see any of these groups that have worked so hard to put an end to adult business offering to pay the rent and bills. These idiots will claim that education is the answer. I have known many educated prostitutes in my time so I could confidently assert that this is total bullshit. These days a bachelor degree is of little assistance in gaining employment.
The anti-trafficking groups have used any and every situation that could possibly advance the cause. They'll tell you it's because of the Craigslist killer while assuming that you are too stupid to get the fact that so many more prostitutes were murdered after being picked-up on a street then could even be counted. For one example look at the Green River murders that continued for decades in Washington State. Of course there are many more examples.
What they did succeed at with the anti-prostitution crusade is eliminating an avenue for independent escorts to advertise. Most independents do not have the necessary knowledge to design their own websites and market themselves and the costs of professional design can be prohibitive. These same groups will tell you that all escorts are prostitutes and all services are fronts for prostitution. The truth is of little interest to these people, but then that's how it is with crusades.
For me they have created a new business model that I will call the appointment referral publisher for the moment. Perhaps I'll think of a better, and more distinct, category in the near future.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Beyond book burning: Sheriff Judd of Polk County Florida
I have written about the Taliban sheriff and his gang of whacky women followers in the following posts:
Craigslist Censorship Disturbing (September 4, 2010)
A Thank You to Law Enforcement (August 22, 2010)
Central Florida Law Enforcement Gone Wild (August 22, 2010)
Sex Busts in Polk County, Florida (September 16, 2009)
And then in relation to the removal of the book from Amazon.com:
New Censorship Trends in the US (November 12, 2010)
In one of those posts a Sheriff Judd follower (Maggs) responds. I figured out who she is, though I initially assumed that she was a cop in Polk County because of her statement – she claimed to know a fact that was not reported anywhere. It turned out that she was an aging housewife that simply loves Judd and his anti-sex agenda. So much for claims of knowledge.
Sheriff Judd was the one that originally arrested R. Kelly, but the case was tossed because of an illegal search of Kelly's Davenport, Florida home. The case was prosecuted in Chicago; however, R. Kelly was acquitted by jury on all counts: R. Kelly Defense gets Boost and Kelly Acquitted
Sheriff Judd also pursued the War Porn prosecution of Chris Wilson. All that Wilson did was publish a porn site that allowed soldiers in the Middle East to register for free if they sent a war photo (the more gore the better). As far as I am aware, Wilson pled guilty in the case, but only because he was overwhelmed: War, Porn Web Site Creator Arrested
Well known First Amendment attorney Marc Randazza had this to say about Judd today:
First Amendment Alert! Author Arrested in Colorado because Flori-duh peckerwood pig doesn't like his book
There isn't much to say that could top Marc Randazza's revealing summary of Sheriff Grady Judd. I recall that Judd also prosecuted a couple in Polk County many years ago – her photo was posted on a website and if I recall correctly, they were swingers. Being a swinger and posting a revealing photo on a website is illegal if you live according to Judd's law. I believe that it was his first obscenity prosecution, but I cannot locate any information on it. I recall the woman stating later that Judd ruined her life. It was a late 1990s case.
Sheriff Judd and his cohorts have tackled me in recent days and from two different directions. One attempt relates to my Blueprint for an Escort Service
book. They were trying to get me to say that it was a book written to help an escort business entrepreneur skirt the law. It is a book about my knowledge of the escort business and how I operated. Judd and gang are the ones that skirt the law. I believe they purchased copies and have placed a listing in Google Places (the old Maps) to conduct stings with. The Maps listing shows in Orlando.The other attempt came out of nowhere, but was the day after I published the Central Florida Law Enforcement Gone Wild post. My mind is usually on alert for any attempts to eliminate me from the population, but this one was ridiculous. I have a website that I sometimes use for research and I received a call from a Davenport residence. The party absolutely insisted that I advertised that website in Polk County – wrong – Google search results may show websites that state Orlando in Polk County and I have no control over Google search results. The website never mentions Davenport or Polk County in any way, shape, or form.
The caller (a pushy rude cop) and I had an argument that ended with me informing him that I didn't give a rat's ass what he saw in Google, but we sure didn't operate in Davenport or Polk County and the website is very specific concerning the areas serviced.
Marc Randazza is correct when he refers to this gang of thug sex cops as Taliban. I will donate to the arrested author's defense regardless of how I feel about his book, and hopefully there will soon be a way to donate posted on The Legal Satyricon website.
Judd no longer has Craigslist to help with his sting operations so now he seeks his publicity on a national scale again. Opportunity knocked for an overzealous wrongful prosecution and Grady Judd has answered once again. Let's hope there are First Amendment attorneys out there ready to hand him his ass on a platter and end his crusade once and for all.
Image: Map of Central Florida with Golden Plane - 2009 © Jesse Kunerth / 2010 © iStockphoto.com
Friday, December 17, 2010
Miami Companions Office Manager an Informant
If you have read the Michelle Matarazzo plea agreement linked in other Miami Companions posts on this blog, take special note of the very last sentence in the document, and actually in the Sentencing score sheet:
"The government will file a Rule 5K motion based on defendant Michelle Matarazzo's substantial assistance in the investigation and prosecution of others."
Directly above that statement it is noted that Matarazzo will not forfeit any property. So she may avoid all prison time by assisting in the prosecution of others. What a deal!
Note that Laurie Carr's plea agreement has no such statement concerning substantial assistance at the end of the document.
It seems the discrepancy involves Michelle Matarazzo working as an FBI informant long before the arrests in the Miami Companions case. According to an informed source, Matarazzo began working with the FBI as an insider informant back in July 2009, and her "deal" was set in stone long before the owners and others were arrested in the case. She knew of the arrests well in advance.
To conclude here, if you were a client of Miami Companions during their last year in business – when the office manager was working as an FBI informant – well, be concerned. That isn't saying that one calling prior to July 2009 shouldn't also be concerned as there is still the database kept under lock and key by federal prosecutors.
To generalize from an experience standpoint I will say that clients usually have nothing to worry about. In my own case prosecutors had no real interest in identifying clients, and agents broke into my Orlando home while I was not there searching for something – client lists in my opinion – though I do not believe they would have made the information public if it had been found. I feel the break-in was an order to find and dispose of it permanently. I could be incorrect, but then why not just get a court order? Why illegally break-in? There were people in high government positions that feared they were on a list. I did have the second escort service in the world on the internet. (the first was in Seattle).
One must also look at the DC Madam case: Jeane Palfrey attempted to turn 50 lbs. of telephone numbers into a list of names. She thought the government would have reason to back-off when confronted with so many names of people involved in Washington DC politics and the federal government. It was a hand that never paid off and instead they managed to control her agenda by attacking her attorney and getting her to accept government puppet Preston Burton. The client names and numbers were Jeane's exit strategy – she figured that there's no way prosecutors would let it get as far as trial.
Jeane Palfrey counted on a return of her forfeited property and something simple like probation and never really intended to go to trial, but instead the government let a few names come out and buried the rest. Jeane did commit suicide; there was no murder conspiracy. The bottom line is that she played her hand and lost. The government strategy of discrediting her real attorney, Montgomery Blair Sibley, worked like magic with the help of a few people Jeane perceived to be friends.
It is time to watch and see in the Miami Companions case.
Read Montgomery Blair Sibley's blog here: Amo Probos
"The government will file a Rule 5K motion based on defendant Michelle Matarazzo's substantial assistance in the investigation and prosecution of others."
Directly above that statement it is noted that Matarazzo will not forfeit any property. So she may avoid all prison time by assisting in the prosecution of others. What a deal!
Note that Laurie Carr's plea agreement has no such statement concerning substantial assistance at the end of the document.
It seems the discrepancy involves Michelle Matarazzo working as an FBI informant long before the arrests in the Miami Companions case. According to an informed source, Matarazzo began working with the FBI as an insider informant back in July 2009, and her "deal" was set in stone long before the owners and others were arrested in the case. She knew of the arrests well in advance.
To conclude here, if you were a client of Miami Companions during their last year in business – when the office manager was working as an FBI informant – well, be concerned. That isn't saying that one calling prior to July 2009 shouldn't also be concerned as there is still the database kept under lock and key by federal prosecutors.
To generalize from an experience standpoint I will say that clients usually have nothing to worry about. In my own case prosecutors had no real interest in identifying clients, and agents broke into my Orlando home while I was not there searching for something – client lists in my opinion – though I do not believe they would have made the information public if it had been found. I feel the break-in was an order to find and dispose of it permanently. I could be incorrect, but then why not just get a court order? Why illegally break-in? There were people in high government positions that feared they were on a list. I did have the second escort service in the world on the internet. (the first was in Seattle).
One must also look at the DC Madam case: Jeane Palfrey attempted to turn 50 lbs. of telephone numbers into a list of names. She thought the government would have reason to back-off when confronted with so many names of people involved in Washington DC politics and the federal government. It was a hand that never paid off and instead they managed to control her agenda by attacking her attorney and getting her to accept government puppet Preston Burton. The client names and numbers were Jeane's exit strategy – she figured that there's no way prosecutors would let it get as far as trial.
Jeane Palfrey counted on a return of her forfeited property and something simple like probation and never really intended to go to trial, but instead the government let a few names come out and buried the rest. Jeane did commit suicide; there was no murder conspiracy. The bottom line is that she played her hand and lost. The government strategy of discrediting her real attorney, Montgomery Blair Sibley, worked like magic with the help of a few people Jeane perceived to be friends.
It is time to watch and see in the Miami Companions case.
Read Montgomery Blair Sibley's blog here: Amo Probos
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Missing Life
Progress in Afghanistan? Shit these people must pull this line of crap from you know where. A German friend texts me and the conversation is all about great things in Germany. I miss it so much. I hate living here and I have now had 9 or maybe 8 shots of Jagermeister. What would I be doing if I were home in Germany now? Too many years have past and I don't have a home.
I would probably be out at a Gasthaus drinking. What the hell. If I were not buzzed now I might tell you I'd be climbing up to Frankenstein castle or driving up the Schwartzwald strausse or doing something wonderful but the way I feel it would just be another shot of jagermeister. Maybe I would drive to Amsterdam and party for a few days or maybe Weisbaden. Thank god for spellcheck…
So now I am going to tell my son what he is missing living in the US. He is missing freedom. He is missing life. God this place just sux.
I would probably be out at a Gasthaus drinking. What the hell. If I were not buzzed now I might tell you I'd be climbing up to Frankenstein castle or driving up the Schwartzwald strausse or doing something wonderful but the way I feel it would just be another shot of jagermeister. Maybe I would drive to Amsterdam and party for a few days or maybe Weisbaden. Thank god for spellcheck…
So now I am going to tell my son what he is missing living in the US. He is missing freedom. He is missing life. God this place just sux.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Is Sweden Arguing Assange Bail for US
Edit on December 15 @7pm EST: Apparently it is the UK prosecutors that are arguing against bail for Assange: Julian Assange Bail decision made by UK authorities, not Sweden
To call Julian Assange a flight risk is quite a stretch, especially when one of the two women that made the original allegations in the sex complaint has dropped out and isn't interested in being a witness. Are Swedish prosecutors arguing against bail for Assange on behalf of the US? Has the entire prosecution been resurrected at the request of the US Department of Justice?
When analyzing the situation you must keep in mind that the Wikileaks cable releases and Assange's position in the Wikileaks organization must not be taken into account. For a moment just forget that Wikileaks exists, because the sex case in Sweden shouldn't have anything whatsoever to do with Wikileaks. Also recall that Swedish prosecutors dropped this case, until --------- started releasing cables.
This man has one of the most recognizable faces in the world today. The charges in the sex case are far from solid. The British judge that granted bail this morning attached conditions that would make it close to impossible for anyone to disappear, and certainly eliminates any possibility that the most recognized man in the world could disappear.
On top of the stated reasoning we have the always present eyes-in-the-sky today. While disappearing may have been a possibility 20 or 30 years ago, and perhaps even 10 years ago, it is not today. Who do they think they're kidding?
Both Sweden and the UK should also be mindful that there is no way Julian Assange could ever get a fair trial in the US and any consideration of a future extradition to the US should be out, if that is on any minds with the obstruction of his bail in the sex case.
The world is watching.
To call Julian Assange a flight risk is quite a stretch, especially when one of the two women that made the original allegations in the sex complaint has dropped out and isn't interested in being a witness. Are Swedish prosecutors arguing against bail for Assange on behalf of the US? Has the entire prosecution been resurrected at the request of the US Department of Justice?
When analyzing the situation you must keep in mind that the Wikileaks cable releases and Assange's position in the Wikileaks organization must not be taken into account. For a moment just forget that Wikileaks exists, because the sex case in Sweden shouldn't have anything whatsoever to do with Wikileaks. Also recall that Swedish prosecutors dropped this case, until --------- started releasing cables.
This man has one of the most recognizable faces in the world today. The charges in the sex case are far from solid. The British judge that granted bail this morning attached conditions that would make it close to impossible for anyone to disappear, and certainly eliminates any possibility that the most recognized man in the world could disappear.
On top of the stated reasoning we have the always present eyes-in-the-sky today. While disappearing may have been a possibility 20 or 30 years ago, and perhaps even 10 years ago, it is not today. Who do they think they're kidding?
Both Sweden and the UK should also be mindful that there is no way Julian Assange could ever get a fair trial in the US and any consideration of a future extradition to the US should be out, if that is on any minds with the obstruction of his bail in the sex case.
The world is watching.
Monday, December 13, 2010
A Discussion about Fired Melbourne Cop Frank Carter
The comments that I am responding to:
Anonymous said... on December 1, 2010 @1246PM
Dienecia Johnson has a checkered past including possession of cocaine and pot. Her records indicate she never has insurance or proof and doesn't carry her DL. Her mouth is what got her into trouble and a known drug dealer was seen running from her car. Florida statues allows a ticket to be written for each window with illegal tint. She's a criminal and should be treated as such.
As for Carter, let him have his day in court. There you will see how the FDLE was given false information by the chief of police to start this witch hunt. Why do you think they dropped the first charges? Now are trying new ones? Why does Carter want a speedy trial? BECAUSE HE IS INNOCENT.
Anonymous said... on December 13, 2010 @1158AM
OK let me get this straight, you claim you have met the victims? Personally I think you made that up!Well, obviously I dared.
All charges were dropped but now a new charge has been brought up on Carter. The funny thing is Melbourne PD has lost the copy of the ticket Frank filed, now this is the sole charge they have him on. Did you know that the other charges that were filed and investigated by the FDLE were found to be valid and that the FDLE was given false information by the MPD and chief Carey? You didn't, instead you post your lies and slanted truths there by slandering Frank Carter.
Q) Why did the prosecutor drop all charges?
A) Because they knew they would lose.
Q) How much has the city spent on legal fees trying to get a charge to stick?
A) $750,000.
Q) Why that much?
A) Because they know Carter will get a huge payout from a civil trial
You were prosecuted on racketeering and RICO conspiracy charges yet subsequently acquitted in 2003. You owned escort services for a decade in conservative Orlando, Florida and wrote a book about running an escort service "The Complete Blueprint for an Escort Service." Sounds like a how to on dodging legal issues concerning prostitution. So you were lucky, really lucky.
I guess what I really have a problem with is you claiming only you are a victim of bad police work and cops can't have the same thing happen to them. It did and his name is Frank Carter. Now I'll go start my I love Frank Carter blog :D.
BTW you need to change all of your claims to "alleged." Slander charges can be expensive to fight and nobody needs trouble like that.
Post this if you dare!
First I must address Dienecia Johnson since she is the subject of the first post:
The poster has the audacity to attack Frank Carter's victim in the current filing, and isn't it always that way? She is victimized by Carter and now the subject of attack with lies and deception. I took a close look at all of Dienecia Johnson's cases in the Brevard County Clerk of Court online. If I had been able today, I would have gone to Viera and viewed the actual file in the cocaine charge referenced by the poster, but my schedule is rather full this week and I dislike trips to any clerk's office as I always leave angry.
The only drug case that Dienecia Johnson has ever been arrested in is Case # 05-2006-CF-028296. It doesn't say which particular officer victimized Ms. Johnson in this case; however, the case was DROPPED by prosecutors. Perhaps a bad traffic stop and illegal search or was the charge created from thin air to begin with?
Ms. Johnson's first ever charge was a traffic charge of "No Driver's License" in 2005. In 2006 she was charged with two traffic infractions in one case: "Driving vehicle in unsafe condition" and "Failure to furnish proof of insurance". In another 2006 case she was charged with "Driver's license not carried and exhibited" and it was DISMISSED. In yet another 2006 case this poor woman was charged with "Driver's license not carried and exhibited" (DISMISSED) and "Operating a motor vehicle with unlawful sound making device," whatever the hell that means.
As we go into 2007, Dienecia Johnson was charged again with "Driver's license not carried and exhibited," which was again DISMISSED. Another traffic stop in 2007 resulted in charges of "Improper Passing" and "Failure to furnish proof of insurance." "Improper passing" is an often used charge when an officer wants to pull someone over, but has no actual reason.
Looking at 2008, Ms. Johnson was pulled over and given a ticket for "Obscured tag" – now that is a real stretch and I'd bet that Frank Carter got the dogs there, but they smelled nothing, nada – another bullshit charge. In August of 2009, Ms. Johnson was stopped and given a ticket for "Safety belt violation passenger." The next 2009 case is the case in which Carter wrote a ticket for each window. It is case # 05-2009-TR-003227. In this case he also wrote tickets for "Safety belt violation operator" and "Driving vehicle in unsafe condition," and all charges were DISMISSED.
Apparently one of Frank Carter's pals with Melbourne Police Department (MPD) intends to make Dienecia Johnson pay dearly – in an October 2010 case with yet another traffic stop she is charged with "Driving with license suspended revoked cancelled without knowledge" and "Failure to furnish proof of insurance," which was DISMISSED. So they managed to suspend this woman's driver's license without her knowledge – send them to the fucking police hall of fame.
Dienecia Johnson needs to get the hell out of Melbourne, Florida AND THEN start filing civil suits. She has been abused for years according to what I am viewing. Does the Melbourne P.D. have little more to do then to harass motorists? How in the hell do they claim to know Ms. Johnson's license and/or insurance paperwork isn't in hand when they illegally pull her over? She is most certainly a victim of profiling. May the civil suits fly Dienecia!
Now as to this poster's accusation that I lied when I stated that I have met victims of Frank Carter – Bullshit! I have met a total of 7 Carter victims – 5 are Black and 2 are Puerto Rican. In 2007 I rented a house in Cocoa Village from the Puerto Rican couple. They lived a couple of blocks off University Blvd (Frank Carter's sector) and also owned a couple of rental properties in Cocoa, and boy they had stories to tell about encounters with Carter. Each has records similar to Dienecia Johnson's, thanks to bad boy Carter. If "Anonymous" is an intelligent cop he or she will know how to find the couple's names and will know I ain't joking.
The five Black Americans that I met and spoke with all lived in Frank Carter's sector, and one worked at a neighborhood store as well. Every one of the five were absolutely and totally petrified of Carter; well they're not anymore thanks to Dienecia Johnson. These are the citizens that lived in Carter's sector. Why should any one of them need to be petrified of Carter? Every one of them considered the bad cop's actions to be racially motivated. Obviously I cannot offer any names – these people are the victims too. I also had a lengthy discussion with someone at an upper level with Melbourne PD, but the party must remain nameless.
Just because someone wants a speedy trial doesn't mean that the party is innocent. It is a defense tactic and little more. I find the statement that the MPD and Chief Carey gave the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) false information to be dubious at best. Says who? Carter? No doubt.
A Florida Today article written by Kaustuv Basu and published on November 23, 2010, explains the refiling situation much differently than our "Anonymous" poster and I will go with the newspaper's version. The article is Officer Carter case re-filed.
Our poster is wrong on an additional assertion: Carter isn't being prosecuted because they're afraid he will receive a civil payout (fat fucking chance); he is being prosecuted because the Dienecia Johnson mess is the straw that broke the camel's back. Carter has hundreds of complaints against him from his years in the University Blvd. sector. It was about damned time someone did something to get this power freak out of his patrol car. Enough is enough.
And now we get to me and your assertions regarding my case…
Yes, I state that everywhere – I was prosecuted on "racketeering" and "conspiracy to commit racketeering (RICO)" by Florida's Office of the Statewide Prosecutor. I was also acquitted by jury verdict on both counts.
"Anonymous" has the book thing a bit mixed-up though: I wrote and published Memoirs of an Accused Madam: The War on Adult Business in Orlando
in April of 2009, but sales were dismal. I then wrote Blueprint for an Escort Service in a few weeks and published it in July 2009. I followed this by writing and publishing Blueprint for an Escort Service 2: Beyond the Original Blueprint
in February of 2010, and later combined both books and added updates in The Complete Blueprint for an Escort Service 
in May of 2010. By July of 2010, I finished and published the Second Edition of Memoirs
, which has updates and is edited.The Memoirs
books are my story of all that they did to me, and I sure as hell wasn't "a victim of bad police work." I was a victim of BAD COPS, but you'd have to read the book to get that and I state on the first page that it is not recommended reading for cops – just look at a sample in Google Books and you could view that free.The Blueprint books are exactly as described in Google Books and on Amazon, and not as "Anonymous" describes them. They also sell decently. I hereby offer Carter a free copy – it looks like he may need it. (smile) Frank Carter might consider writing a book and titling it "Surviving an Illegal Traffic Stop," or wait – it would sell better if Dienecia Johnson wrote it.
In so far as the poster's statement that my posts are slanderous – he clearly has no clue about law in this respect either. The correct term would be libelous but I haven't stated anything that could possibly invite a libel suit. Back to law school with you "Anonymous".
I do give Frank Carter the benefit of doubt in this post and the last post concerning his case. Most consider Carter's actions to be racially motivated. I think he would have treated the citizens like he has regardless of color or ethnicity. I think he is just another bad cop. Even if he is acquitted by a jury it doesn't erase what I know to be fact, and it also doesn't net him the civil suit jackpot - as I will attest.
I do thank "Anonymous" for being civil in the second comment and not attacking Ms. Johnson again.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Miami Companions Plea Agreements
Laurie Carr has recently made a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in the Miami Companions case. Apparently Michelle Matarazzo made a deal long before the Carrs were arrested – Matarazzo is the former office manager from Miami Companions. I still cannot get any information about Rafael Bernabe-Caballero's plea deal, but I'm including a sentencing memo here.
Here are the PDFs:
Laurie Carr Plea
Michelle Matarazzo Plea Agreement
Bernabe-Caballero Sentencing Memo
I think you will find it all to be interesting reading. It does look like Greg Carr is going to trial at this point. Any former independent contractors with Miami Companions that would like to offer your thoughts on the entire situation? Did you like Greg Carr? Laurie Carr? Was Miami Companions a good company to work with?
Feel free to contact me privately.
Here are the PDFs:
Laurie Carr Plea
Michelle Matarazzo Plea Agreement
Bernabe-Caballero Sentencing Memo
I think you will find it all to be interesting reading. It does look like Greg Carr is going to trial at this point. Any former independent contractors with Miami Companions that would like to offer your thoughts on the entire situation? Did you like Greg Carr? Laurie Carr? Was Miami Companions a good company to work with?
Feel free to contact me privately.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Bad News in Miami Companions Case
Laurie Carr and Michelle Matarazzo have made guilty pleas in federal court; however, Greg Carr has not. At this point he is still fighting the case. With Mr. Carr's former wife and the Miami Companions office manager pleading guilty and cooperating with Detroit federal prosecutors, well, it is unlikely that there will be a trial.
If Greg Carr opts to go to trial the client lists could become public record and some former clients could (and probably would) be called to testify by the feds. That's the thing about keeping client lists – yes, I know it helps in the operation of an escort business, but…
I really feel for Greg Carr and from all that I have heard from everyone involved in the case he was a great guy to work for and book calls with. He was how we would all like to be. I never had such a rapport with clients or really talked to the escorts because – well, you should understand why when you look at this entire case. I disconnected myself from everyone, and so I didn't have thousands of people that liked me and missed me when it was all over. I was also acquitted by a jury.
Now it has become a cat fight with these two women out for themselves. They'll say or do anything to avoid years in prison. That is a fact. I am sorry that you were so normal and nice to people in the course of business Greg. No doubt you took much of my business over the years – I was better known as the bitch to those that didn't really know me at all. There was reasoning behind that though. What can I say? There was no client list and no one that the MBI and the Statewide Prosecutor managed to locate knew me well enough to make a truthful statement in court. The cooperating witnesses just said what agents told them to say, and were of course caught in lies on the stand.
There was an article written by Robert Snell in The Detroit News today that explains the entire messy story: Miami prostitution ring busted open in metro Detroit hotels.
Image: Miami Brickell Nights 2009 © jfmdesign / 2010 © iStockphoto.com
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Bradley Manning Defense and Wikileaks
We all need solid clarification if Wikileaks and/or Julian Assange came through and transferred the promised funds for Bradley Manning's defense before meeting with police and going to jail.
I am reading conflicting reports. If anyone has a solid answer either post it in comments here or contact me privately. Thank you for any help with this issue - this is extremely important.
I am reading conflicting reports. If anyone has a solid answer either post it in comments here or contact me privately. Thank you for any help with this issue - this is extremely important.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
PayPal and Wikileaks
Edit @445pm EST December 9 - PayPal has released Wikileaks' funds. PayPal is not obligated to do business with anyone - my problem was with the frozen funds. Thank you PayPal! See the article HERE.
Unless I am mistaken – news reports are contradictory on the topic – PayPal froze Wikileaks' account. To clarify here: If PayPal had only stopped Wikileaks' ability to receive future donations this would be the private company's choice. A private company has the option to do business with a person or entity, or not. However, freezing the account and not allowing Wikileaks representatives on the account to withdraw the funds in the account that were there prior to this decision by the company changes the game, at least for me.
I am a firm believer in the right of a private business to act as it so desires within the law. In the PayPal situation it seems that the company has already decided that Wikileaks broke laws and froze the account based on this mistaken assessment. The PayPal statement is found HERE:
So while PayPal would be correct if funds that were collected prior to the decision were released, placing the Wikileaks account in limbo and funds inaccessible to Wikileaks representatives because of some perceived illegal activity is outrageous. No one connected to Wikileaks has been charged with any crime in relation to the business of the company in publishing the cables and accepting donations.
NEXT: Why I Support Julian Assange
Unless I am mistaken – news reports are contradictory on the topic – PayPal froze Wikileaks' account. To clarify here: If PayPal had only stopped Wikileaks' ability to receive future donations this would be the private company's choice. A private company has the option to do business with a person or entity, or not. However, freezing the account and not allowing Wikileaks representatives on the account to withdraw the funds in the account that were there prior to this decision by the company changes the game, at least for me.
I am a firm believer in the right of a private business to act as it so desires within the law. In the PayPal situation it seems that the company has already decided that Wikileaks broke laws and froze the account based on this mistaken assessment. The PayPal statement is found HERE:
PayPal has permanently restricted the account used by WikiLeaks due to a violation of the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy, which states that our payment service cannot be used for any activities that encourage, promote, facilitate or instruct others to engage in illegal activity. We’ve notified the account holder of this action.
So while PayPal would be correct if funds that were collected prior to the decision were released, placing the Wikileaks account in limbo and funds inaccessible to Wikileaks representatives because of some perceived illegal activity is outrageous. No one connected to Wikileaks has been charged with any crime in relation to the business of the company in publishing the cables and accepting donations.
NEXT: Why I Support Julian Assange
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Assessing the Impact of Wikileaks Cablegate
My main interest in visiting the Wikileaks Cablegate site and viewing documents available is to read any diplomatic cables in the date range of 1966 through 1990 or 1992, and as of yesterday there wasn't much available. Today I am unable to access the site and must imagine that the problem is another Denial of Service (DoS) attack.
The cables released are available through a torrent site, but with all that is going on this week in relation to Homeland Security and ICE taking down torrent sites I won't be downloading anything from any of them. I did sift through the cables available yesterday and copy/pasted any that I considered significant into Word for later reading. I did this in anticipation of a DoS attack.
Some of this stuff makes for interesting reading, but really I found nothing earth shattering. Much of it is diplomats assessing nation leaders' positions on specific policies. In so far as the approved spying on U.N. leaders is concerned, is anyone surprised here? I'm not, but then after a career in the USAF my father worked for a U.S. private contractor through late 1989, traveling to Moscow and Helsinki often. He spent most of his time in Moscow as he was contracted to check the building materials for electronic bugs when the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was being rebuilt following the USMC scandal. I have tons of photos from his time in Moscow.
One nation spying on another is far from major news if you have my background. Still, I anxiously await additional diplomatic cables being released from the Cold War era.
The cables that I have read in the date range of 2003 through 2010 are not a national security risk by any stretch of the imagination. Most involve a U.S. diplomat assessing specific situations and leaders in the country wherein he is assigned. Many are responses from the State Department. Some discuss one leader's views concerning another and we could say that many in the Middle East seem to have negative opinions of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and serious security issues with Iran.
Perhaps the cables are enlightening to the Iranian president – he gets to read what they say behind his back as they smile in his face. I do not hear any denials coming from the Arab world. In this sense there was some interesting reading – I never had a clue they considered Ahmadinejad so negatively. I also thought the anti-Iran position belonged to the U.S. and Israel and not most of the region. I would think that some of these cables are planted; however, I do not hear any denials coming from the Arab leaders involved, especially on the "cut off the head of the snake" quote. If nothing else, President Ahmadinejad now knows who his friends and enemies are, or not.
I still cannot access the Wikileaks Cablegate website today.
Edit @ 1030pm EST December 1st: No problem accessing the Cablegate site this evening and latest cables released are more interesting - most are from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. So far I will only say that Burns may soon be out of work... more tomorrow.
The cables released are available through a torrent site, but with all that is going on this week in relation to Homeland Security and ICE taking down torrent sites I won't be downloading anything from any of them. I did sift through the cables available yesterday and copy/pasted any that I considered significant into Word for later reading. I did this in anticipation of a DoS attack.
Some of this stuff makes for interesting reading, but really I found nothing earth shattering. Much of it is diplomats assessing nation leaders' positions on specific policies. In so far as the approved spying on U.N. leaders is concerned, is anyone surprised here? I'm not, but then after a career in the USAF my father worked for a U.S. private contractor through late 1989, traveling to Moscow and Helsinki often. He spent most of his time in Moscow as he was contracted to check the building materials for electronic bugs when the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was being rebuilt following the USMC scandal. I have tons of photos from his time in Moscow.
One nation spying on another is far from major news if you have my background. Still, I anxiously await additional diplomatic cables being released from the Cold War era.
The cables that I have read in the date range of 2003 through 2010 are not a national security risk by any stretch of the imagination. Most involve a U.S. diplomat assessing specific situations and leaders in the country wherein he is assigned. Many are responses from the State Department. Some discuss one leader's views concerning another and we could say that many in the Middle East seem to have negative opinions of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and serious security issues with Iran.
Perhaps the cables are enlightening to the Iranian president – he gets to read what they say behind his back as they smile in his face. I do not hear any denials coming from the Arab world. In this sense there was some interesting reading – I never had a clue they considered Ahmadinejad so negatively. I also thought the anti-Iran position belonged to the U.S. and Israel and not most of the region. I would think that some of these cables are planted; however, I do not hear any denials coming from the Arab leaders involved, especially on the "cut off the head of the snake" quote. If nothing else, President Ahmadinejad now knows who his friends and enemies are, or not.
I still cannot access the Wikileaks Cablegate website today.
Edit @ 1030pm EST December 1st: No problem accessing the Cablegate site this evening and latest cables released are more interesting - most are from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. So far I will only say that Burns may soon be out of work... more tomorrow.
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