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The Daily Dose/November 15, 2007
By Gaylon Kent
The Writer's Shack
   
More notes from the human experience, as fearless, if not very mobile Benazir Bhutto continues to fight tyranny in Pakistan, the International Olympic Committee considers punishing someone for something they didn't do, plus OJ, and some others you've never heard of, are to stand trial, plus an informative On This Date, and the Column Four Foto: Julia Louis-Dreyfuss.
LIVE FROM PAKISTAN: Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto is still valiantly hanging in there, despite house arrest that has lasted since Tuesday and has announced plans to form a caretaker government with other opposition leaders.
"We need to see whether we can come up with an interim government of national consensus to whom power can be handed," Bhutto said.
This would be easier to accomplish if she were allowed out of her house. It's easier to exercise power if you're able to mingle with those you're governing. Also, some cooperation from current dictator Pervez Musharraf wouldn't hurt.
Meanwhile: While the US continues to throw rhetoric around like it means something, the Bush administration is letting it be known that rhetoric is all the US will be good for this time around. White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said that President Bush believes that restoring democracy is "up to President Musharraf" who is, of course, a dictator, so don't hold your breath.
Perino also gave Pakistani's hope by saying "The Pakistanis are going to need to work through their politics," on this one, which more or less means they are on their own.
AND THE WINNER IS: The International Olympic Committee is considering allowing its official records show there was not a winner of the gold medal in the women's 100 meters at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
Background Info: Last month Marion Jones was stripped of her titles and returned her five medals from the Sydney Games to the IOC after admitting to having been doped up while winning those five medals.
So What's The Problem?: Usually it's a routine matter to move the silver medalist to first place, but the IOC is having ethical issues with doing that because the silver medalist, Greece's Katerina Thanou, is awash in doping intrigue herself because she missed a drug test the night before the start of the 2004 Games in Athens. Later announced she had been in a motorcycle accident before announcing her withdrawal from the Games.
So What? The IOC feels this is a big deal. But is it significant enough to deny upgrading her to the gold medal? She was not, after all, found doping at the Sydney Games and the status of her silver medal has not been challenged. If her crimes in Athens were so bad - and, honestly, not showing up for a drug test and later withdrawing from the Games is not a whole lot different than shooting up while marching in the opening ceremonies - then why don't they take away her silver medal?
And this could open a whole new can of worms. I mean, once they do this, what is stopping the IOC from rescinding all medals for anyone who has ever been caught doping? You do that and the Olympic record book would three-quarters white-out, or you and I will be awarded medals because we're the only clean people left.
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS CAN GET YOU IN TROUBLE: OJ Simpson and two other, non-famous defendants were ordered to stand trial Wednesday on 12 counts of kidnapping, armed robbery and conspiracy by a Las Vegas judge. The charges stemmed from a September incident at the not very legendary, off-Strip Palace Station Hotel where Simpson and other non-famous people tried to reclaim sports memorabilia Simpson claims was his. Simpson, and the other non-famous people, will return to Las Vegas court Nov. 28 for arraignment.
Quote That Sucker: Simpson told the Associated Press before leaving the courtroom "If I have any disappointment it's that I wish a jury was here. As always, I rely on the jury system."
Rely On What?: Are we the only ones who find that quote significant? It is both smug and desperate at the same time. Of course, OJ's entitled to a little smugness, because his treasured jury system has served him well, acquitting him of double murder charges in 1995, though a pesky civil jury did find him civilly liable for the same crimes. On the other hand, he makes it sound like the jury system is an old and trusted friend, there in time of need, though anyone who finds himself having to rely on the jury system, well, gee whiz, OJ, what happened? You had it all and threw it away.
ON THIS DATE: In 1777, the Second Continental Congress, after a mere 16 months of debate, approved the Articles of Confederation. They would take effect in 1781 after being ratified by all 13 states, and would be replaced by the Constitution in 1789.
Gentlemen, Start Your Torches: On this date in 1864, Union General William T. Sherman burned Atlanta and began his famous march to the sea, which ended with the capture of Savannah Harbor on Dec. 22.
Simulate NBC Chimes Here: In 1926 the NBC Radio Network takes to the air with 24 stations. NBC Radio is now owned by Westwood One, and only uses the NBC name for hourly newscasts and a program called First Light.
In Cold Blood: On this date in 1959, on a farm outside Holcomb, Kansas, Herb Clutter, his wife Bonnie and children Kenyon and Nancy were murdered by two parolees, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. Hickock and Smith are arrested in Las Vegas the following January. They were returned to Kansas where they were tried and convicted, and they were executed within twenty minutes of each other in 1965. While in prison Hickock had been told by a fellow inmate that the Clutter family was wealthy and kept lots of money in the house, though this wasn't the case. The murders, their aftermath, and the trial and execution of Hickock and Smith were the subject of a brilliant book by Truman Capote titled In Cold Blood, which was later turned into a very good movie.
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