Amici:
It's getting close to the release date for Dana King's Grind Joint. Listen to me: It's a great read.
So close … 186 Backers ($14,052) … the goal, $17,500 … Singer and songwriter Kyle Carey is making her second full length studio album, 'North Star'--will you join her?
A gorgeous voice ...
And now for some non-fiction … The Jersey Sting … corrupt pols, dirty rabbis, Ponzi schemes, oh my! I bought The Jersey Sting after my wife watched the CNBC expose on the Solomon Dwek case(s) a few weeks ago. It’s a fascinating story, but all too common an occurrence. I started reading this a few days before watching ESPN’s 30 for 30 film, Big Shot, by Kevin Connelly on the John Spano/New York Islanders debacle. Spano, with a few hundred thousand bucks to his name (at best), bought and owned the New York Islanders back in 1996. He actually “owned” the Islanders for 4 months.
How did/does this stuff happen? Apparently nobody was doing their due diligence (in either the Dwek or the Islanders situations). Nobody checked anything about anybody. Dwek was able to deposit a $25 million dollar check into a closed account with PNC, with which he paid HSBC. He was caught the next day when he went back to the well one too many times. Once he was bagged, a deal was struck (no shit?) and Dwek became an informant for the government (it’s a good country, America). He eventually brought down dirty politicians and rabbis, including those who were dealing in body parts, and some who were involved (as Dwek himself was), in using Yeshivas to launder money. It wound up being a worldwide sting, reaching Israel, Switzerland and South Africa.
Check out the trailer for Dwek’s story on CNBC American Greed.
Then check out Connelly’s piece on Spano and the Islanders on 30 for 30.
The Jersey Sting is an interesting read, but it’ll make your skin crawl when you think about how this stuff continues to go on (somebody say fiscal crisis of 2008?). What pisses me off more than anything else is how these guys don’t come close to doing the time (actual time in actual state or federal prisons) that bookmakers and other so-called “organized criminals” get … nothing quite like equal justice for all, amici.
Truthfully, is there really a more organized criminal organization than the our governments (local, state and federal)?
Animal lovers of the world unite … and check out James Guiliani and Kenos Animal Rescue Shelter …
Primo resting at Keno …
James and Primo, a love story …
And now what yous have all been waiting for ... oy vey ...
This week in the NFL … oy vey, last week didn’t go so well [5-9], except my beloved New York State Buffalo Bills squished the Fish … but this week I’m feeling it, amici … so gather up those In-Knucks-We-Trust-Bucks and send it in:
The Pantherettes will defeat the Buckless, 24-20
The Bills return to ground Zero against the Aints, losing in a bad way, 35-17
The Cowgirls squeak out another win in another close one over the Lionettes, 24-23
The Choketriots lose again, this time to the Fish, 24-21
The Y-E-T-S, Yets, Yets, Yets upset the Bengalis, 21-20
The Washingtonians give the Broncettes a run for the money, but come up short, 33-30
The Packing company destroys what’s left of the Vikingless, 35-13
The Chefs continue the winning streak, but in a close one over the Brownies, 20-17
The 40-whiners fly to London but lose no sleep against the Jagwires, 30-10
Moonachie Blue makes it a duce with a 24-20 victory over the Dog Killers
The Raiders whack the Steeless, 21-17
And in the battle of the boids, take the Redbirds at home against the Falconless, 24-20
On Monday night, it’s a no brainer AND THE LOCK OF THE WEEK … the Seapigeons over the Ramettes, 30-10
—Knucks
Speaking of deals with the Devil (politicians/the government) … Mr. Stravinsky’s, The Rake’s Progress …
