Sandusky and the Shock Doctrine

Will the real Penn State please stand up?

Let me reduce this to something everyone probably already knows:

Penn State's "reputation" is just fine...thank. you. very. much.

Trustee Joel Myers tries to bring a little sunshine into our lives as the designated PR guy...by telling us things we already know about Penn State. He omitted a critical fact: Penn State's reputation is stellar IN SPITE of the conduct of The Board of Trustees. These 2 things should NEVER be confused. The BOT does not do the teaching or research, does not perform in the classroom or in athletics. Nor do they hire those that do.

Who's minding the store?

Penn State is a $4 BILLION/YEAR sandbox. PER YEAR. Who gets to play in it? (that was rhetorical)...the BOT. When they get done pushing this pile of money around...they get to do it all over again...year after year. I've had interesting discussions lately about who exactly took charge of the money when they (AG, Corbett, PSUBOT) effectively removed four of the most influential people at Penn State? What exactly happened between 11/5/11 and 11/11/11...and why? Who has control of this place?

Which brings me to this---there is a theory or phenomenom called The Shock Doctrine. I'm just putting it out there as a compelling explanation with some merit. Look it up. Here are some discriptions:

• "a perfect setup for cronyism and profiteering."
• "a deliberate strategy of certain leaders to exploit crises by pushing through controversial, exploitative policies while citizens were too busy emotionally and physically reeling from disasters or upheavals to create an effective resistance."
• "using the public’s disorientation following massive collective shocks –  to achieve control by imposing economic shock therapy. Sometimes, when the first two shocks don’t succeed in wiping out resistance, a third shock is employed."
• "exploited crises to push through an agenda that has nothing to do with resolving those crises, and everything to do with imposing their vision of a harsher, more unequal, less democratic society."
• "a compelling account of the way big business and politics use disasters for their own ends"
• "Nearly always, they are developed in secrecy and implemented too rapidly for citizens to respond."

That's scary close to what's going on around here.
Then, just for giggles, add this definition:
SOC-IO-PATH: "long-term pattern of manipulating, exploiting, or violating the rights of other. This behavior is often criminal."

SNIPPETS 

- With regard to the BOT's bragging rights over addressing 119 recommendations, I will offer this analogy: Even turds can bob to the surface...that doesn't make them flotation devices. Nice try, though.
- If you hire a hitman (Freeh), you are as guilty as the man who pulled the trigger.
- I'm not big on conspiracy theories, but I do believe in greed and opportunism. The public documentation and facts clearly show that Corbett, Kelly, Tomalis, Surma, Frazier, Eckel, Dambly, Peetz, Masser, etc., saw an opportunity and seized upon it. And Freeh was paid to endorse it. And while I'm at it, apparently the Faculty Senate is OK with all this. Throw in some conflicts of interest, personal vendettas, racism...and I think we're approaching Hallmark Card status.

Louis Freeh: "This is a Harley."

- It's as though Freeh held up a photo of a Vespa...and "concluded" it was a Harley. People went "Yes! Of course it is!" But, using the Freeh Report in a court of law would be like riding a scooter into a biker bar...it's probably not going to end well.
- There is a cast of thousands and dozens of back stories, and I see people drifting off on tangents, personality pissing matches....basically falling for misdirection from the central  issues:

GOVERNANCE. RIGHT TO KNOW. DUE PROCESS.

- Bored of Trustees ...me, too.
- I'm a Blehar fan...have been for quite a while. His attention to detail, evidence, testimony, vetting, cooboration, timelines, etc., has provided most of us with an education in legalities that is staggering.
- More and more, Twitter reminds me of my spam folder.

- In case you missed it: Wendell Courtney found a new firm in Harrisburg.
- John Zeigler's recent interview with Todd Blackledge was one of the very few attempts at humanizing what has happened to people we know and care about.
- The governor doesn't need a vote if he controls 1/3 of the Board.
- The Joyner/FSU AD job qualifications was an education.
- The only person to defend Paterno and sue Freeh: Graham Spanier.

- I'm just glad it's not about football.

- When I think of Penn State lettermen (all sports), I don't think about what they were or what they did as athletes. I am more proud of how they have lived their lives and what they've become since then.
- If you have two people who think exactly alike...you only need one of them.

- Ryan Bagwell keeps truckin' along on the RTK issues. Probably should get more recognition than he does.

- Ron Tomalis has surfaced, again, as (1) the driving force to oust Spanier...and (2) using his "experience" to land a $400,000/yr. job in education. Check it out.
- I'm not impressed with dissents over emeriti status when there are no dissents over approving $60million in settlements.
- I'm a Paterno supporter, but I don't get the lawsuit. I'm referring to any BOT or faculty members "joining in." The BOT fired Joe Paterno in disgrace, hired Freeh and "approved" the NCAA consent decree (by policy/procedure). The Faculty Senate never had the stones to give a vote of no confidence, so now they can watch their health benefits go down the toilet with everything else. If this is anyone's way of saying "we screwed up," then they need to go fix it in their own venue. More importantly, this is only about the NCAA's actions...not the insanity that is The Freeh Report...which was financed by and gushed over by, you guessed it...the BOT. Everyone follow that?
- Matt Sandusky keeps changing his name and his testimony. He committed perjury. He has been placed at the scene by "victims." He has placed himself at the scene of "crimes." He never testified in court. He never claimed to have been sexually abused...just creepy stuff. There is something really, really wrong here...and nobody seems to look into it. Is he a victim or a criminal? Is he a witness for the prosecution or a person of interest? Did he cut a deal? Did he sue Penn State? What do the Adult Survivors have to say about this? Are they insulted or happy? Matt Sandusky had nothing to do with the ultimate conviction of Jerry Sandusky. Quite the contrary, it would seem. Those were real victims who came forward and testified.
- Governance Committee forms committee to hire governance expert. JESUSHF*CKINGCHRIST.
- Is Surma really going to get away scot free?

Anyhoo, we are on the eve of the preliminary hearings...and I'll keep it short.
It's been refreshing to see some coverage on four very respectable human beings.

I'll get back to you. We Are.