RandySF
RandySF's JournalWhat About NBA's Homophobe Owner?
While a racist in their midst deservedly gets the boot, the NBA and its players paid no attention when one of its owners gave half a million dollars to an anti-gay group, defended it and, despite a tepid boycott effort, went along his merry way without any consequence.
Doug Devos, who owns the Orlando Magic and the direct-selling company Amway, gave the cash to the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage back in 2009 through his family's charitable foundation. Much like the Chick-Fil-A folks.
Faced with threats of a boycott that went nowhere, a family spokesperson brushed it off with ease, saying they believe "the highest calling of any individual is to express their own personal beliefs. As private citizens, the DeVos family supports causes and organizations that advocate for policies aligned to their personal beliefs."
And there it ended. Not a peep from anyone associated with the NBA about the "values" they are now touting.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-crawford/what-about-nbas-homophobe_b_5236780.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNotifications
Wingnuts claiming that Magic Johnson set Sterling up.
A few conservative pundits on Tuesday furthered a conspiracy theory that someone, possibly Magic Johnson, set up Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's racist rant in order to buy the team.
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh on his show on Tuesday had a lengthy discussion with a caller about such a theory. Limbaugh attributed the theory to the caller, but seemed convinced that it was a possibility.
"Whoever set this up is really good. They covered every base. They've got the media wrapped around their little finger," Limbaugh said.
"This is a fascinating theory. And, Neil, I'm glad that you held on through the break so I could dig deep, explore further," he continued "You know, you got it."
Patrick Howley, a reporter for the Daily Caller, also questioned whether Magic Johnson had something to do with the the leaked audio recording.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/conspiracy-theory-sterling-set-up
Bundy clan is now setting up armed checkpoints,
A Democratic congressman from Nevada said in a letter this week that his constituents have reported the armed militia supporting rancher Cliven Bundy have set up checkpoints to verify the residency of anybody passing through.
Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), who represents the area, sent the letter Sunday to Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie, asking him to investigate.
"I am writing to bring your attention to the ongoing situation in northeastern Clark County which has caused many of my constituents to fear for their safety," Horsford wrote. Residents in the area "have expressed concern over the continual presence of multiple out-of-state, armed militia groups that have remained in the community" since Bundy's dispute with the Bureau of Land Management came to a boil.
The militia, as reported by Horsford's constituents, "have set up checkpoints where residents are required to prove they live in the area before being allowed to pass," the letter said.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/bundy-ranch-militia-checkpoints-horsford
Dallas Mavericks owner is afraid forcing Donald Sterling out would start NBA Down 'Slippery Slope'
DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called Donald Sterling's purported comments about minorities "abhorrent" while saying he didn't think the NBA could force him out as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Speaking in Dallas' locker room before Game 4 of a first-round series against San Antonio on Monday night, Cuban said he trusted Commissioner Adam Silver to "operate under the best interest of the NBA."
The outspoken billionaire said it was a "slippery slope" to suggest that Sterling should be forced out as owner over comments made in the privacy of his home.
"What Donald said was wrong. It was abhorrent," Cuban said. "There's no place for racism in the NBA, any business I'm associated with. But at the same time, that's a decision I make. I think you've got to be very, very careful when you start making blanket statements about what people say and think, as opposed to what they do. It's a very, very slippery slope."
Two days earlier, Cuban declined to give his opinion over the brewing saga of the racist comments that Sterling is alleged to have made in a taped conversation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/mark-cuban-donald-sterling-slippery-slope_n_5229901.html
Woman's life threatened by gun 'enthusiasts' after developing a safer firearm.
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Belinda Padilla does not pick up unknown calls anymore, not since someone posted her cellphone number on an online forum for gun enthusiasts. A few fuming-mad voice mail messages and heavy breathers were all it took.
Then someone snapped pictures of the address where she has a P.O. box and put those online, too. In a crude, cartoonish scrawl, this person drew an arrow to the blurred image of a woman passing through the photo frame. “Belinda?” the person wrote. “Is that you?”
Her offense? Trying to market and sell a new .22-caliber handgun that uses a radio frequency-enabled stopwatch to identify the authorized user so no one else can fire it. Ms. Padilla and the manufacturer she works for, Armatix, intended to make the weapon the first “smart gun” for sale in the United States.
But shortly after Armatix went public with its plans to start selling in Southern California, Ms. Padilla, a fast-talking, hard-charging Beverly Hills businesswoman who leads the company’s fledgling American division, encountered the same uproar that has stopped gun control advocates, Congress, President Obama and lawmakers across the country as they seek to pass tougher laws and promote new technologies they contend will lead to fewer firearms deaths.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/us/politics/smart-firearm-draws-wrath-of-the-gun-lobby.html?hp&_r=1
Flori-DUH House passes bill to allow guns in schools
TALLAHASSEE (AP) — The Florida House on Monday passed legislation that would allow trained officials to carry guns in schools, but with the matter stalled in the Senate, the bill may not become law this session.
The House bill, sponsored by Sarasota Republican Greg Steube, passed 71-44.
"We have inadvertently made schools ... a sterile target," said Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who voted for the measure. "We are not safe when we create an environment where those who are deranged can go and do reckless damage."
The issue has been argued nationwide since school shootings at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary, Virginia Tech University, Columbine High School in Colorado and others. One side says armed officials are better equipped to handle emergency situations. The other argues that the presence of more guns in schools increases the odds of another incident.
http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Florida-House-passes-bill-to-allow-guns-in-schools-5435322.php
Politco tying Sterling to Democrats.
Donald Sterling was a modest donor to several Democratic politicians, long before racist remarks were attributed to the owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers.
Sterling donated a combined of $4,000 to Democratic Sens. Bill Bradley of New Jersey and Patrick Leahy of Vermont as well as then-State Controller Gray Davis of California in the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to a database on OpenSecrets.
In 1989 Sterling cut two separate checks of $1,000 to Bradley, a former basketball player for the New York Knicks who is now in the Hall of Fame. Bradley was reelected in 1990 and retired from the Senate in 1997.
Two years later Sterling backed Davis over Dianne Feinstein in a special election for a Senate seat, donating $1,000 to Davis. Davis lost to Feinstein in 1992 and eventually became governor of California before being recalled.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/donald-sterling-made-donations-to-dems-106079.html#ixzz30A6n7383
Half Mile Wide Tornado on the Ground in N Little Rock, Arkansas suburbs
UPDATE: Extensive damage has been reported with this tornado. Very large tornado on the ground causing significant damage along its path. Tracking north of downtown Little Rock. Damage reported in Mayflower, AR and tornado emergency has been issued for Vilonia, AR.
Very dangerous storm just to the west of Downtown Little Rock.
A confirmed tornado was moving through portions of Pulaski and Faulkner Counties. This storm has a very impressive radar signature and it appears a debris ball is present. This storm will impact Interstate 40 and the western and northern suburbs of Little Rock.
http://www.alabamawx.com/?p=82199&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=confirmed-tornado-near-little-rock
Sterling: I put food in black people's mouths.
More Donald Sterling audio has been released ... this time, you can hear the Clippers' owner explaining that he doesn't think he's racist because he puts food on the tables of his his black employees.
The audio -- just released on Deadspin -- appears to pick up where the clip published on TMZ Sports leaves off ... with Sterling's girlfriend V. Stiviano challenging him on April 9th about why she can't post photos of black people on her Instagram page.
GF: "I don't understand, I don't see your views. I wasn't raised the way you were raised."
Sterling: "Well then, if you don't feel -- don't come to my games. Don't bring black people, and don't come."
GF: "Do you know that you have a whole team that's black, that plays for you?"
Sterling: "You just, do I know? I support them and give them food, and clothes, and cars, and houses. Who gives it to them? Does someone else give it to them? Do I know that I have—Who makes the game? Do I make the game, or do they make the game? Is there 30 owners, that created the league?"
Sterling also objects when Stiviano compares his attitude toward black people to the Holocaust.
During the conversation, Stiviano says she didn't remove a photo of L.A. Dodgers star Matt Kemp from her Instagram page because he's mixed race and light-skinned and she thought Sterling would be OK with it.
http://www.tmz.com/2014/04/27/donald-sterling-new-audio-released-clippers-black-people/#ixzz307yA3WzI
Sterling's girlfriend calls audio legitimate'.
he audio recordings of Clippers owner Donald Sterling are "legitimate" and roughly 1 hour in length ... lawyers for Sterling's then-girlfriend V. Stiviano tell TMZ Sports.
Mac E. Nehoray -- of the Nehoray Legal Group -- has issued a statement saying, "My firm represents Ms. V Stiviano who is a named defendant in a civil action brought by Rochelle H. Sterling in the Central Civil Superior Court, County of Los Angeles."
"This office understands that the currently released audio tape of approximately 15 minutes is a portion of approximately one (1) hour of overall audio recording of Mr. Donald T. Sterling and Ms. Stiviano, and is in fact legitimate."
"Ms. Stiviano did not release the tape(s) to any news media."
"Due to the present litigation and its absurd allegations, which Ms. Stiviano vehemently denies, Ms. Stiviano and this office have no comments at this time."
http://www.tmz.com/2014/04/27/v-stiviano-donald-sterling-audio-is-legitimate-1-hour-in-length/#ixzz307wsJR3p
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Gender: MaleHometown: Detroit Area, MI
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Current location: San Francisco, CA
Member since: Wed Oct 29, 2008, 02:53 PM
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