Sandusky settlements / Penn State BOT

Before I get started, mark your calendars:
"THEY HAVE DISGRACED THESE MEN 
AND THE INSTITUTION THEY HELPED BUILD"
http://march4truth.com/
I can only hope this is an epic event.

The Penn State Board of Trustees answers to nobody.
My favorite, recent post:
http://notpsu.blogspot.com/2013/09/eileen-morgan-psu-bot-does-it-answer-to.html

 3 things that have bothered me the most for some time now:

- Nobody seems to care about the rights of Spanier, Curley or Schultz.

- Two people have admitted knowing the true nature of Jerry Sandusky: Tom Corbett and Matt Sandusky...and they seem to be untouchable.

- Nothing of significance has changed. Lots of shiny objects going on.

Settlements are unsettling...where to start?

The elephant in the room: Matt Sandusky

I have written about him for a long time and very few people seemed to notice or care, until recently. I believe there is a significant difference between making reasonable inquiries as opposed to accusations...and his storyline and all public information begged a lot of questions...and nobody offered any explanations. So, here we are, again...probably a day late and a dollar short (figuratively and literally).

Review this:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2061035/Penn-State-scandal-Jerry-Sanduskys-son-Mark-tried-kill-himself.html

Excerpts:

"Local Pennsylvania newspaper The Patriot-News released the court records of Matt Sandusky's adoption, including a letter that he wrote to the court imploring the judge to allow him to stay with the family. 

'I would like to be placed back with the Sanduskys. I feel that they have supported me even when I have messed up. They are a loving caring group of people. I love both my biological family and the Sandusky family,' he wrote at the time. 

Matt has been unflinching in his support of the family, singing their praises to a sports Illustrated reporter when Jerry Sandusky left Penn State in 1999.

'My life changed when I came to live here,' says Matt. 

'There were rules, there was discipline, there was caring. Dad put me on a workout program. He gave me someone to talk to, a father figure I never had. I have no idea where I'd be without him and Mom. I don't even want to think about it. And they've helped so many kids besides me,' he continued. 

Matt is still extremely close with his family, and that hasn't seemed to change since the news of the scandal, much to his ex-wife's chagrin."

Review this from Eileen Morgan:
http://www.statecollege.com/news/columns/sandusky-vs-sandusky-its-in-the-numbers,1374106/

Liability issues seem to have a life of their own. 

I would assume Penn State has liability coverage for any kind of crime/injury/mishap on it's property. So would the Second Mile (hauling children all over the state...accidents, injuries, etc.). Kinda like us having homeowner's insurance for when a thief gets injured breaking into our house and we have to pay for his hospital bills. There's a difference between approving money earmarked for payment...and actually paying it out. I'll give trustees the benefit of the doubt on that one.
However, the willingness to accept guilt tracks back to presentment days. Also, there was a public accounting of dissent at the last BOT meeting (emerti status)...so the fact that trustees cannot dissent on anything doesn't seem to hold up.

Apparently, we have no right to know...it's like we are the poor relatives

When it comes to traveling in high circles or power groups, I am the guy drinking shots and beer at the mimosa convention. I'm not a good fit at country clubs and garden parties, either. I know all this.
I have no money problems...because I have no money.
It doesn't make me stupid.
Read this and explain to me how much money bonds are worth, how much money was lost in the drop of interest rates...and $883million in debt?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-26/sandusky-scandal-leads-moody-s-to-cut-penn-state-s-credit-rating.html

Excerpts:
"The rating has a stable outlook because the victims’ claims should be manageable at that lower ranking, Moody’s said."
"A Penn State bond maturing in 2040 traded yesterday to yield 3 percent, compared with 3.2 percent on July 24, according to data compiled by Bloomberg."

SNIPPETS

• Apparently, you can commit almost any kind of crime today...if you claim to be a Sandusky victim.
• There is no point in even discussing a fair trial.
• "False narrative" is catchy, but it just isn't strong enough.
• PSU is not settling with victims to prevent anything else....doesn't make sense. Anyone withholding information from an ongoing criminal investigation is commiting a crime.
• There is a BIG difference between criminal and civil trials...take the O.J. Simpson case for example...or just ask Ken Frazier.
• I thought they said "morale" officer...and the fencing coach just wasn't peppy enough.
• There is a word for "conflict of interest": Lubert...or Frazier...or...
• When you start keeping score with money, you de-humanize everything.
• The BOT answers to a higher power: Moody, Standard & Poor.
• Khoury: the BOT does not "force" trustees to alter independent decisions...they are given "choices": (1) Our way, or (2) the hallway.
• The Penn State Board of Trustees has agreed to settle with the victims of the BP oil spill.
• LaVarr Arrington is selling "Free Joe" t-shirts for $15ea. Think about that.
• The BOT committee on governance formed a sub-committee to "search" for candidates to hire an expert on governance. Well played.
• Recent tweets: "I thought they said DON AMECHE."
• I'm calling a moratorium on all words that begin with "mal"....except "content."
• How exactly is one supposed to break through the following for relevant information?: ongoing investigation, confidentiality issues, non-disclosure, GJ secret, attorney/client privelege, personnel matters(HR).......
• These are separate issues with me: PSU and the BOT,  Freeh and the NCAA, criminal and civil actions, Joe Paterno and the Paterno family.
• The only thing I remember about 1998 is that it was preceded by 1997 and followed almost immediately by 1999. I Googled it to be certain.
• NCAA lawsuit: legal experts maintain that only people who can prove monetary damages (Paterno licensed merchandise) have a chance. PSU and/or the football team is not part of the suit.
• Do people go on Twitter just to screw up their reputations?

Take celebrity out of the equation. 

It doesn't matter to me whether the coach's name is Joe Paterno, Joe Palooka or Joe College. I stand and fight on constitutional rights...and they have been trampled on. McGettigan and Fina didn't need to hold a press conference to show us they had nothing on Paterno. They had nothing on anyone else, either...and now, they continue to affect upcoming trials with unsubstantiated remarks. The scathing indictment of Joe Paterno (and Spanier, Curley, Schultz) was by Louis Freeh...and endorsed by the BOT, both in his report and personally...only Spanier got it right.

People who have expressed the possibility of another Pulitzer Prize in this saga are more right than they know. But it has to come from outside the Penn State community and from people who can take an unbiased view of the facts.

NOTEWORTHY LINKS:

The definitive site(s) when it comes to factual analysis:
http://notpsu.blogspot.com/
http://www.sanduskyreports.com/

Zeigler v. McGettigan/Fina:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktyn4hYhGrY

"This Consent Decree may be modified or clarified by mutual written consent of the parties."
http://co.centre.pa.us/centreco/media/upload/PATERNO%20COMPLAINT.pdf

Masser apologized. Not to Penn State, the community, the alumni. He apologized to the...BOT:
http://www.psu.edu/trustees/pdf/120618%20Masser%20Statement.pdf

Penn State's money pit

LET'S TALK WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Or, as I call it...Stealth Management.
First, it's probably important to list my credentials regarding wealth management:
None.

It's like Penn State's Board of Trustees is this bunch of ninjas scooting around with bags of money and POOF!...they're gone. Wait...there they are. Nope. Gone again. Sneaky little bastards.
Of course, the problem here is that most ninjas are NOT old, fat, short, bald...or wearing pearls.

Let's review, shall we?:

They have a "rainy day fund" that must support some 3rd world countries, they have figured out how to make $45 million (reportedly) in interest on $60 million in loans to the Athletic Department (and...don't forget part of the new scoreboard), they are their own bank and health insurance company...and who else can put $2 million in a line item expense named "other"...? They approved "victim" payments without due process. They have not submitted to background checks nor conflict of interest issues.

Everything you need to know about the current status of Penn State's Board of Trustees:
1. Check the list on the President's Selection Committee.
2. Silvis needed 14 votes to become vice-chairman...and he got them.
In other words, since November, 2011...and with new trustees...it is business as usual.

I can only assume that racism, cronyism, exploitation, vendettas, bullying, disrespect for alumni, lack of transparency, lack of due process, etc....is just hunkydorry with the Faculty Senate.

If you want to know what trustees are thinking, ask a proctologist.

SNIPPETS

• NCAA: As deplorable as Emmert is, when you have that many pigs at the trough...it doesn't matter which one is the head hog.
• The Sandusky appeal has been moved to The Bryce Jordan Center.
• Jerry gets a pension? Matt gets a "victim" settlement?
• The PSU PR flacks have gone back to poll dancing.
• I Googled "America's Most Trusted Journalists" and my name wasn't on the list. My crest fell. All you need to know - Jon Stewart, a comedian, topped the list.
• For all my in-depth sports sourcing, I turn to...The Wall Street Journal.           
• Ken Frazier is not a racist... (1) He just makes racist remarks...that's different. (2) When making a point, everybody uses the O.J.Simpson trial. (3) All publishing and marketing is racist...we just call it demographics.
• When describing Tom Corbett, the adjective "liar' doesn't seem to have enough punch. I recommend adding "pathological."
• There is no court of public opinion...just public reaction.
• " A Tragic Day for Penn State" was brought to us by a magistrate, former law enforcement officer with the DA's office and no law degree. You would think someone with his background might know what tragic really is... his commentary, for instance.                  
• "Old Main Screwed Up" was brought to us by the ever-popular Mike McQueary. Aside from being a generic, blame-shifting hearsay quote of a dead man...it is roughly the equivalent of "The Dog Ate My Homework" excuse for not doing whatever it was you were supposed to do.
• With characters like Dr. Drano and Judge Futile...we're starting to look like a Batman sequel.
• I really expected the lettermen's club to come down on Surma like the wrath of God.
• Everyone should be suing Freeh and the BOT (not to be confused with Penn State)...not the NCAA.

I use the the "Aunt Barb" test. Anyone who grew up here knows this one - you cannot pick your nose in this county without everyone knowing about it. If anyone knew, or even thought Jerry Sandusky was a pedophile...my aunt Barb would have known...and so would everyone else.

The original charges against Curley and Schultz had nothing to do with putting Jerry Sandusky behind bars. It was a pre-emptive misdirection from Corbett, the DA's office, law enforcement and other responsible government agencies when the story broke. It is fairly obvious that the DA's office cut a least 2 deals - one with a journalist and one with a "witness."

My biggest fear:
People like Corbett, Freeh, Emmert, Surma, Broadhurst, Baldwin, Raykovitz and Frazier are going to walk away from this rich and unscathed.

and, finally...Who's gonna pay for all this?

WE ARE!

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.

All things Penn State

"I have people on the ground."

I love this expression. It's like having journalists embedded in a war zone. So, yes, when it comes to all things Penn State, I have people on the ground...and they are me.

I took a break from blogging and Twitter to test a theory, and here are the results:
1. If you live and work here, there is nothing significant or controversial going on.
2. Life in Happy Valley is pretty much the same as it's always been.

THE END.

Once again, though, I immerse myself into the issues of the day...and here are the gems:

- America has decided to sue the NCAA. Final results will coincide with my grandkids' AARP cards.
- Corbett's lawsuit was/is nothing more than political posturing. Same with Corman.

- Eckel had a brain fart...and decided to go public with it.

- Myers is as dependable as the weather...and partly cloudy.
- Masser would do well to remember that HE was the "vocal minority" that leaked the Freeh Report and made inflammatory remarks regarding the "conclusions."

- Strange bedfellows: the Paterno suit is joined by members of the very group (BOT) that fired Joe Paterno, accepted the Freeh Report...and members of the faculty that did not give a vote of no confidence. McCombie was the ONLY person to file suit when the event happened...and he was asked to sit on it until due process played out.

- Costas was progress, but still is football/sports. This needs to be over on the news/legal side.

- If you think anyone outside of a small group (Marianne E. Alexander, James S. Broadhurst, Mark H. Dambly, Keith W. Eckel, Kenneth C. Frazier, Edward R. Hintz, Jr., Peter A. Khoury, Ira M. Lubert, Keith E. Masser, Karen B. Peetz, Paul H. Silvis and Linda B. Strumpf) will have any say in hiring PSU's next president, you may want to check back with Ben Novak.
- Sherburne got hired.

- To repeat my earlier assessment of the PSUBOT: "If you put new sparkplugs in a shitty engine, you still have a shitty engine."
- I knew Joe Paterno before Sue did...and I support the Paterno family. I think that covers it.
- "Truthers" and "Joebots" are just condescending tags, generally administered by people with no relevent information to support an opinion.
- I support any effort that discredits the Freeh Report.
- A family of 6 can hardly sit down to dinner without an argument breaking out. With that in mind, I don't expect a group of 10,000-20,000 people to agree on everything. Bottom line, I think PS4RS has demonstrated remarkable organization, dedication and professionalism. Such is the business of activism.
- I have singled out many characters in this melodrama in my previous posts, using information that is public knowledge, not opinion. I haven't seen or read much to change those assessments. If I should, I've made it clear that I'm open to corrections.
- I may be in the running for village idiot, but I would not want to be a prosecutor who is depending on testimony/evidence from McQeary, Baldwin and Freeh. Everything that may or may not happen in the future, rests with Kathleen Kane. Period.
- I could write a book.
- Joe Paterno, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz are all innocent. I'll let you know when a court of law says differently.

JUST FOR GIGGLES
Rate your reactionary investment and knowledge in all things Penn State:

Level 1: Current PSU student.

Level 2: PSU alum, but that is the extent of your experience.

Level 3: PSU employee, and/or resident of Centre County.

Level 4: PSU alum and PSU employee.

Level 5: PSU alum and former student/athlete.

Level 6: PSU alum and have read, in its entirety - the Linda Kelley presentment, Sandusky trial/testimony, the Freeh Report, the Freeh agreement, the Thornburgh rebuttal, the Clemente report and the comprehensive reports by Ray Blehar and PS4RS, et.al....and you've seen John Zeigler's "The Framing of Joe Paterno" mini-movie.

Level 7: PSU alum/employee for more than 20 years.

Level 8: At least 3 generations of PSU alums in your family.

Level 9: At least 5 PSU alums in your family.

Level 10: PSU alum/student-athlete/employee, born and raised in Centre County.

Give yourself some bonus points:

1 STAR- have experience as a board member anywhere.

1 STAR- have a degree in journalism, law or political science.

1 STAR- you do charitable work...as opposed to donating money.

1 STAR- you personally know, and are on a first-name basis, with at least 20 of the following people: Jerry Sandusky, Aaron Fisher, Linda Kelley, Kathleen Kane, Stacy Parks-Miller, Joe Amendola, Joe Paterno, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Steve Garban, Dave Joyner, Mark Sherburne, Rodney Erickson, James Broadhurst, Michael DiBerardinis, Ken Frazier, Edward Hintz, Keith Masser, Linda Strumpf, John Surma, Tom Corbett, Richard Allen, Ron Tomalis, Al Clemens, Mark Dambly, Peter Khoury, Ira Lubert, Paul Silvis, Marianne Alexander, Jesse Arnelle, Stephanie Deviney, David Jones, Joel Myers, Anne Riley, Paul Suhey, Keith Eckel, Samuel Hayes, Barron Hetherington, Betsy Huber, Carl Shaffer, Karen Peetz, Anthony Lubrano, Ryan McCombie, Bill Oldsey, Barbara Doran, Ted Brown, Adam Taliaferro, Wendell Courtney, Sara Ganim, Josh Moyer, Audrey Snyder, Ray Blehar, John Zeigler, Franco Harris, Eileen Morgan, Ben Novak, Ryan Bagwell, Mark Emmert, Louis Freeh, John Mitchell, Bob Costas, Mark Schwarz.
1 STAR - You actually know the ownership, distribution and editorial policy of all local media outlets.

1 STAR - You can identify these people.

And finally, you have a 50/50 chance of getting this right:

GROUP A

Believes that Joe Paterno was evil incarnate, the Freeh Report is accurate, the NCAA sanctions are appropriate, PSU officials are guilty of a cover-up, the alumni base is delusional and Happy Valley is nothing short of a pedophile-enabling cabal.

GROUP B

Believes that GROUP A is full of shit.

Of course, this information solves nothing and has no bearing on the outcome of events over which we have no control. There's no right or wrong to it. It is a simple exercise that separates the the curious and opinionated from those with a little more understanding of what's happening and why.
There is a case to made for being better informed, and conversely, there is a case to be made for being prejudicial and taking things personally. I can accept that.

What I find unacceptable is rambling conjecture by people who have not read all the legal documents, do not actually know the people they are writing about, have never set foot in Happy Valley or Penn State's campus...and yet project an opinion of certainty that even I can't muster.

I am clinging to the Constitution, Bill of Rights and due process.

I am LEVEL 10 / 6 STAR / GROUP B

Reflections on the Sandusky Learning Curve.

This is an unedited, direct copy of my reaction(s) to the Sandusky Scandal, less than a month after the BOT firing of coach Paterno and the resignation of President Spanier:

12-04-11 repost from TDC group page

by Owens Family (Notes) on Sunday, December 4, 2011 at 7:55pm

People ask me a lot of questions. This is about all I have...
Re: Sandusky
For those of you who subscribe to the mantra “Knowledge is Power,” I will insist that whatever credence I give to your journalistic efforts will be based on just that...knowledge. That standard will apply forever to your opinion(s), also. Embrace the notion.
In this profession, especially, I hold people more accountable for what they pen and “gut reaction” is no excuse. Gut reaction is also the cause for projectile vomiting...and I note the similarities.
Here’s what I bring to the table: I am a graduate of State College High School and Penn State University. I am a former student/athlete. I have a lifetime investment in all things Happy Valley and Blue and White. I have been working in publishing for almost 50 years. I am better informed than most and may well know more people in the eye of this storm than most. And here is what I know about what actually happened:
Not much.
I believe that renders my opinion useless and I am trained to not speculate when other peoples’ lives and reputations are at stake.

I do, however, have a few things worth mentioning:
- I am constitutionally incapable of guilt by association. I don’t need time to heal, because I didn’t do anything wrong. Neither did the student body at Penn State nor the inhabitants of Centre County. I am a proud Nittany Lion and anyone who has a problem with that can come see me about it.
- I’m pretty sure I was against child sex abuse before this event. Do we need a show of hands? Collective guilt, after the fact, is an interesting phenomenon that somehow makes me uneasy.
- I don’t abandon my friends.
- “Success with Honor” is a noble goal. It is not meant to be assigned to any person, place or thing.
- Vigils and “riots” look like photo ops.
- Town Hall events are PR.
- “Transparency” is the new buzzword.
- A former FBI director has about as much authority to interrogate people as I do. He just has a cooler title.
- Anyone who has dealt with a Board of Trustees, Board of Directors, etc., at any level, knows the downside of accountability issues.
- I don’t brag about what charities I donate my time, not money, to.
- Why would anyone feel guilty for donating to The Second Mile if their heart was in the right place when they did it?
- Has anyone besides me even looked at the financial statements for RAINN?
- I fight back when I’m attacked. I know, I’ve always been a candidate for anger management therapy, but still...not a single soul stood up for us during an unprecedented barrage of sweeping accusations against an entire community and university. Instead, everyone either curled up in the fetal position or distanced themselves. Pitiful.
- Lions don’t cry. Embrace the teardrop, if you like. I get it. I prefer that everyone gets off their collective asses and DO SOMETHING...and I don’t mean design t-shirts and logos.
- The perjury charges were the most damaging. So, what is the criteria for deciding who is a credible witness?
- A presentment doesn’t actually prove anything.
- In the same vein, just because a prosecutor or a defense attorney says it, doesn’t make it true.
- I don’t use the word “victim’” until it is proven...and, as anyone who has taken journalism law courses will tell you, the word “alleged” is not our get-out-of-jail-free card.
- Tom Corbett is knee-deep in this.
- “Teaching moment,” my ass. Typical academic reply to a real world tragedy.
- ESPN is out of control. It belongs over on the A&E or SciFi channels.
- My contempt for broadcast news is well documented. Overwhelming evidence supports me on this matter.
- It falls to us to remain objective, concentrate on the facts and maintain some form of journalistic integrity amidst a storm of emotional, irrational and irresponsible commentary. The students I work with have shown more dedication and resolve to get it right, under enormous pressure, than their counterparts out in the world. That’s a fact that I get to witness every day and they are my only hope. My generation has become a hopeless embarassment to me.
- By the way, if you witness a crime, report it to law enforcement. You may want to make certain that there is documentation.

Penn State trustee voting guide

IT'S TIME TO HANG CHAD, FOLKS.

You have until May 2nd to vote.

I didn't wake up one morning and say "geez, we really need to replace these trustees. They have gone to great pains...or more precisely, inflicted great pain over nearly the last 17 months...that any reasonable person would see the logic of change.

So, here is your formula:

Any trustee in November, 2011.

Almost anyone else.

Any questions?

I make observations. I don't make endorsements.

Besides, an endorsement from me would be like a getting deck chair on the Titanic.

There are quite a few qualified candidates out there and organizations that have shown considerable interest in restoring our reputation and the dynamics of sound leadership...that can be trusted. Read their bios, get involved, make a statement.

I reread my previous posts to check for errors or to modify my position over time. Nothing comes to mind. Sarcasm is my weapon of choice. Individual trustees and the BOT as a whole have either made statements or commited acts that are a matter of public record...not something I make up to amuse myself. I just shine a little light on their actions. You may be shocked to learn that I have quite a few character flaws, so I will thank the BOT for this: every time they do something, or say something...I feel better about myself.

They all need to go.

Just spitballin'...but I will add this - I could put 30 of my favorite people on this board, but if they don't change policy and governace, it simply won't matter. There's no real transparency. There's no roll call. Nothing has changed in the last 17 months in spite of the rhetoric. Half of the trustees will be corrupted by the money, power and prestige...and the other half will succumb to the grind and futility of non-dissent. You can bet on that.

Step away from the calamity of social media and have a moment of clarity. Exercise your right...vote to make a difference.

Speaking of rights.

I would be remiss if I didn't take every opportunity to remind everyone that my main focus is Constitutional rights, due process and freedom of speech. We still have 3 respected members of our community awaiting trial: Spanier. Curley. Schultz.

I would find it refreshing if I saw even a fraction of compassion or support for their rights that I see for others. Support is not a declaration of guilt or innocence...it is simply the right thing to do. PA Attorney General Kane will have the final say on validity issues of the Freeh Report and any other subject related to these cases. Pay attention to the legal documents and analysts.

Sandusky aftermath rolls on....

People in academia have referred to many of the recent adventures at Penn State as "teaching moments."
So, what have we learned?
Well, for starters:

The Pennsylvania Guide to Grand Jury Presentments:

- Make any accusation you want...against anybody you want.
- Make it as long and as sordid as you possibly can.
- Call a press conference to read it aloud...lotsa microphones and cameras.
- Make it late on a Friday afternoon.
- You will need a tripod and really bad, blown-up mugshots of the accused.
- Surround yourself with really serious-looking people, maybe a police commissioner.
- Provide flyers with provocative language and more bad photos of accused.
- You will not have to answer questions...because grand juries are secret.
- The accused cannot defend themselves...because grand juries are secret.
- When done properly, there will be no need for evidence or a trial...because the media and general public will take of that for for you.

Pretty cool, huh?
To borrow a previous layout, your work may look something like this:

Of, course, Linda Kelly worked in concert with, and has since eloped with Louis Freeh (who was actually "engaged" to.. or by Ken Frazier), but the point remains the same:
Who needs evidence, when you can just drag people's reputations through the mud, attack their character and ruin their lives and careers? Good times.

  

Lettermen
I support this group and their efforts to right wrongs, with regard the treatment of Joe Paterno and the sanctions imposed by Erickson...oops, I meant Emmert...oops, I meant the NCAA. Whatever. So, we are faced with fighting fire with fire...or in this case, football with football. Not exactly how this is supposed to play out, but here we are. The average person is not going to get national attention, so we are left with marquee name blowbacks. This is not the group that should be staring at cameras and microphones...but the situation dictates it.
I am concerned about several things:

• No mention of the Surma Vendetta against Paterno at the BOT meeting.
• No mention of Corbett's role in Paterno's firing at the BOT meeting.
• No transparency over the meeting with Corbett on the date of Paterno's memorial.
• Several have indicated a willingness to throw administrators under the bus.

Here's the deal - Paterno was fired in disgrace. There is no spin for that. The BOT cannot change the language, nor will they...until AFTER the trials of Spanier, Curley and Schultz. They hint at it, even gurgle the expression of due process when it suits their agenda...and this is one of those situations.

Justice vs. Money
Presumably, justice was served when Sandusky was tried and then sentenced to prison for his crimes.
Others, who have been indicted (under the guise of justice) are sliding over onto the "prosecutorial misconduct" pile.

On the other hand, due process is a non-factor in civil law. Civil law is determined over at the teller's window. Let see, the insurance companies tell you what the cap-per-person is, the attorneys take their 60% and the victims have now established a price for the crime. No trial is necessary. Everyone is guilty, but it's a win-win. Go figure. (Keep an eye on the cap if the insurance fails and PSU has to foot the entire bill)
Personally, I'd make everyone go to trial and prove it. What a concept.

I have yet to see or read anything substantial with regard to actually helping victims, with the exception of donations to RAINN. I think there's a $12million loan/rainydayfund/sanctioned/ncaa/lawsuit/pa/lostinspace bag of money floating around somewhere.

Not one single word or story about cleaning up gov't agencies and reporting procedures.
Nicknames are starting to surface:

• Paul "3 weeks" Suhey
• Ira "rent free" Lubert
• Paul "Mack the Knife" Silvis
• Linda "Return to Sender" Strumpf
• Keith "No Mas" Masser
• Ken "White Men Can't Jump" Frazier
• Stephanie "Pom Poms" Deviney
• Karen "Pearls of Wisdom" Peetz
• John "Vendetta" Surma  

 All trustees deserve recognition for their efforts over the last 15-16 months.

 SNIPPETS

---Compared to our trustees, politicians are starting to make sense. God help us.

---Know why trustees don't care what legislators think? - They make 10 times the money and probably control who gets elected.
---Leave it to Frazier to drag another football player into this. See? It wasn't racist, it was football!
---Frazier doesn't care if Spanier, Curley and Schultz are acquitted or not.
---Frazier doesn't care about due process.
---Frazier swings the "children come first" baton like he invented it.
---Say what you want about Ken Frazier...(I mean that. Say what you want.)
---The Sandusky-related expenses to Penn State has reached $17 trillion rubles.
---I tried to follow the money, but I keep getting lost and confused.
---When it comes to PSU fighting the NCAA sanctions, I believe it was Gene Marsh who told everyone to sit down and shut up...there was nothing that could be done. (Not his exact words, but I think I captured the essence).
---Masser is shooting for a dishonorable discharge.
---Checked my inbox on the Mark Sherburne question. Nothing.
---Checked my inbox on the Matt Sandusky question. Nothing.
---Committee restructuring is about as dynamic as changing the colors on name tags.
---The Board has approved the formation of a Tsk Tsk Force.
---Silvis defended Deviney in a Facebook forum with a "knife in the eye" reference.
---Has there ever been better examples for piercing the veil?
---McQueary's testimony, the Freeh Report and Baldwin's paricipation are so screwed up, they are starting to look better as defense witnesses than for the prosecution.
---Costas is a start. Anderson Cooper and the rest of the bigshots need to review all this.
---McQueary's lawsuit hinges on the interpretation of what someone said. Sound familiar?
---Don't get me started on Pepper Hamilton / Deviney's firm / Baldwin. Too late.
---The misinformation and cheap shots on Twitter knows no bounds.
---We can't get rid of any of these people, but they are working on the "Lubrano Rule," so they can.
---The proposed number of trustees is now set at 674.
---The alumni election(s) are approaching and fracturing will be a major player.
---The governor can't vote. The president can't vote. Well, most evidence suggests that nobody actually votes, anyhow...2-3 people decide something...and nobody dissents. THAT'S how they vote. duh.
---Deviney gave Lubrano a harsh glare. Girls Gone Wild.
---In an effort to get something in the win column, Tom Corbett just sued himself.

Once again, nothing has changed. Really.

Stay on point, people.

DUE PROCESS. BILL OF RIGHTS. FREE SPEECH.

NOTEWORTHY:
Ray Blehar has the definitive interview:
 http://notpsu.blogspot.com/2013/03/ray-blehar-interview-with-whvl.html?spref=tw

John Zeigler appears to be scheduled for the Today Show on Monday. This radio interview was posted recently regarding Steubenville:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stranahan/2013/03/21/steubenville-attacks-on-the-coach-with-guest-john-zeigler
I would rather see any of these people face-to-face with the BOT than Freeh again:
http://www.paterno.com/Default.aspx

Things are going down the wire as elections approach. I believe PS4RS is reaching it's final 3 this weekend:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/ps4rs/496093520438261/?notif_t=group_activity

In closing -
Remember the Lion logo with the teardrop? It should have been this:

What do you expect when you sucker punch a Lion?