Steff

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050603/od_nm/...DJlYmhvBHNlYwM- LONDON (Reuters) - British prosecutors Friday considered whether professional sportsmen, especially soccer players, should face an increased risk of criminal prosecution for violent conduct committed during matches. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it was hosting a conference to consider whether it was right that police rarely took action against sportsmen despite high-profile incidents such as players brawling in front of thousands of fans. "We have no hesitation in prosecuting spectators who attack players but there is a feeling that we are too tolerant about violence among players themselves," said Nazir Afzal, a CPS director in London. "For many, sport is a means of getting rid of their aggression and we would never think about 'Disneyfying' it, but there is now growing concern about where the boundaries lie between what's sporting and what's criminal activity." Soccer and rugby players are among the greatest offenders, where opponents are often caught on camera trading punches. Violence rarely leads to prosecutions although Everton and Scotland striker Duncan Ferguson was given a three-month jail term in 1995 for headbutting an opponent when he played for Rangers. But usually police and the CPS have left it up to sporting authorities to deliver punishments for on-field incidents. Former England rugby union player Neil Back was banned for four weeks last month after he lashed out at an opponent and split open his lip during the English Premiership final. In 2002, a member of parliament wrote to police demanding they prosecute Manchester United's Roy Keane after he admitted in his autobiography he had deliberately set out to injure Manchester City player Alf Inge Haaland. The police took no action but the English Football Association fined and banned him for five matches. Calls for tougher action to be taken against soccer players have grown after some ugly scenes during live games last season. Manchester United and England teenage striker Wayne Rooney provoked a storm for repeatedly swearing at a referee during one televised match, prompting one leading education figure to blame soccer players for children's bad behavior in schools. The CPS said it now wanted to produce clear guidelines so police and prosecutors knew exactly when to act.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050603/od_nm/...DJlYmhvBHNlYwM- LONDON (Reuters) - Driving badly? then ditch the fast food and reach for the mints. Different odors affect the way motorists drive, with fast food scents likely to increase road rage potential and other smells -- like peppermint -- deemed to improve concentration, the RAC Foundation motoring organization said Friday. "More than any other sense, the sense of smell circumnavigates the logical part of the brain," the RAC Foundation's consultant psychologist, Conrad King, said. "This is why the smell of perfume can turn men into gibbering idiots, the smell of baking bread can destroy the best intentions of a dieter and the smell of baby powder can make a child averse individual quite broody," he said in a statement. The RAC Foundation said it has conducted research into the impact of smells on driving after the release of an odor study by Bryan Raudenbush of the Wheeling Jesuit University, West Virginia in the United States. King said good odors to have in your vehicle, other than peppermint, include cinnamon, lemon and coffee. A blast of salty sea air can also encourage deep breathing and help relieve stress. In contrast the smell of fast-food wrappers or fresh bread can cause driver irritability and a tendency to speed because they make drivers fell hungry and in a hurry to satiate their appetites. Other "dangerous" odors are camomile, jasmine and lavender because they can cause drivers to overrelax or fall asleep. The plants are commonly used to treat insomnia. For those motorists who might opt for a neutral smelling interior, be warned. Studies of astronauts found an odor-less environment created irritability and even olfactory hallucinations. Cars of the future are likely to have in-built systems able to detect a driver's mood and react by altering the car's seating, lighting, temperature and even smell. In the meantime motorists are advised to keep a packet of mints handy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/sex_oakland_dc;...DJlYmhvBHNlYwM- SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - People who solicit prostitutes in Oakland, California, could find their faces plastered on billboards under a new shaming program that one civil rights group calls bad public policy. The city of 400,000 across the bay from San Francisco started putting up billboards on Wednesday showing men arrested for soliciting sex. Other signs invite prostitutes to quit by calling a help line. "This idea came out of just thinking about new ideas, doing something to deal with this increasing problem, especially with the exploitation of underage women," said Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente, who champions the approach. The photos on the billboards were partially blurred so the men are not easily identifiable. But in the future photos might be displayed unaltered, an aide to De La Fuente said. Critics say the technique -- which De La Fuente said has been used in Texas -- recalls medieval public humiliations. "It doesn't seem to us to be appropriate for Oakland to be using shaming as an additional and extrajudicial punishment to single out this group of offenders," said Alan Schlosser, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union for Northern California. "We don't think this is good public policy." Some newspapers have long printed the names of those soliciting sex for money, and courts have backed punishments that include shaming. Last year a U.S. federal appeals court allowed a punishment in which a mail thief had to wear a signboard telling of his crime.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 09:02 AM) Maybe. This is a topic that really bugs me because everyone runs around crying about how what the Republicans did to Bill Clinton was wrong. He did it to himself. If he would have just come clean, none of the BS would have happened. But to a point athomeboy points out, every level of government does the same damn thing. They are all a bunch of corrupt bastards. I agree with that.. I also agree that I should stick to my rule of staying out of these threads.. By the way... I don't think they are different because of the deception.. I think they are different because of the resulting ramifications.

QUOTE(kapkomet @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 08:58 AM) Obstruction of justice is obstruction of justice. Period. Too many people get wrapped up in "it was just a blow job vs. Watergate - waaaay different". Yes, that part is true, but they both tried to conceal illegal actions as a result of an investigation. It doesn't matter what was going on, they both obstructed justice. Puppy pee in your Cheerios this morning..?

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 08:18 AM) Brandon has put on 20 pounds since they drafted him FWIW. And needs at least 40 more.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 08:37 AM) Well, Steff, of course I don't have the option to talk to the man from time to time, but I've been watching the Sox throughout Frank's whole career and I have seen many Frank Thomas quotes that have led me to that conclusion. Mistaken or not, that's the way I have read that particular situation. Frank's said many, many, many times that money is not his driving factor.. and even went so far in, IIRC, '01 to say that he was not being greedy and that his comments were taken out of context.. I've never seen him say anything like.. "I just had a monster year.. now pay me".. Even now it's "I want to retire here" and not a peep about $$. Regardless.. I don't agree with it. In the past 10 years I have never witnessed behavior that would imply that at all. But you have the right to your opinion.. even though it's wrong.

QUOTE(Jabroni @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 08:32 AM) Is that just a hunch or do you have inside info? If so... I just came out and asked those involved. Both sides were extremely confident that they would work things out.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 08:23 AM) Different times, different crimes. What set Tripp apart is she turned in a friend who was confiding in her. While most of us don't have access to information of national importance, we do have friends and we expect them to keep secret the secrets we tell. Waaaay different crimes. Not even comparable, IMO.

QUOTE(YASNY @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 08:15 AM) Money might not be the most important factor, though Frank has always equated money with respect. It's impossible to say what kind of choices Frank will have. I don't agree with that one bit..

QUOTE(southsider2k5 @ Jun 3, 2005 -> 07:55 AM) What a piece of s*** article. He totally forgets who Frank Thomas's biggest fan is, Jerry Reinsdorf. Frank Thomas will get a reduced deal done after he is bought out, book it. It'll be done before the season ends..

QUOTE(I-HATE-CREDE @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 05:16 PM) Was or wan't Chavez on the score yesterday? Can anyone confirm this for me? http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=34558 "E. Chavez on 670 The Score"

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 05:12 PM) I would like the Pro-Chavez crowd to explain what would they would do if Hernandez needs another two weeks 'off'? Something which is a real possibility. Guess we could tell him to "suck it up"..

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 04:56 PM) If the White Sox were in the A's position and one of the Sox players went on a radio show and said the Sox were horrible, I would appreciate it. They are horrible. He also took a good shot at BB and Moneyball.

QUOTE(Queen Prawn @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 04:56 PM) Must....not....take...the...bait... Dirty girl..

QUOTE(EvilJester99 @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 10:38 AM) Travashammockery!! Bastard.. that's what I was going to say!!

QUOTE(ChiSoxyGirl @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 09:48 AM) exacerbate manifold and of course, asspussy Real classy... :rolly

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 04:53 PM) Alot of the posters seem to think that Dye and Chavez speak alot and Chavez wants to play with Dye again. It's not a secret that they are good friends.. but in the world of pro sports I really don't think that carries much weight. I think everyone wants to play on a winning team.. the A's are faaaaaarrr from that these days.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 04:44 PM) And Beane would have to also consider how this trade would go down with the Oakland fans. It could be enough to run them out of town. After his interview on DP today.. saying that the A's are "horrible".. I'd guess the fans wouldn't mind him leaving one bit.

So they want to toss Brandon right in the starting rotation.. I say let them have him. It'll be sad to watch him fail because, IMO, he's not ready for the show.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 04:34 PM) How much pressure is it playing on a non-contender? I'd imagine quite a bit for someone who wants to win and cares. Kind of like Paul stressing about this "slump" he's in.

QUOTE(Dick Allen @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 04:32 PM) Its in the Herald as a rumor. The guy even wrote most rumors are jokes. You want to know where he got this rumor? From the phony who called MJH and said he heard it on sports radio in the Bay Area, or the guy who said Ken Rosenthal said this deal was being discussed, which was proved to false because someone either on this board or WSI e-mailed Rosenthal himself, and he denied ever saying it and doubted it would ever happen. Or he got i tfrom one of the boards. Think about it. The White Sox giving up their gem of a prospect and picking up a huge and long-term contract at the same time? They don't operate like that. Best start in 70 years.. double digit attendance % increase.. financial room to wiggle.. an exciting buzz that the south side hasn't seen in 10 years.. (debatable) solid rotation.. And you think that holding onto a prospect is more important than doing something drastic to improve the offense NOW when there is a chance to make the playoffs and actually win a game rather than watching them piss themselves again... Alrighty..

QUOTE(santo=dorf @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 03:18 PM) ..and to you that is worth 7 years $78 million??? Really doesn't matter what it's worth to anyone here.. I have to say though.. if $$ is the reason this deal is not done.. I will be pissed.

QUOTE(sec159row2 @ Jun 2, 2005 -> 01:22 PM) ps... stef... you should be ashamed of yourself for comparing frank to barry... It was not a comparison, it was a description of how Bonds acts based on my interactions with him. Many of YOU should be ashamed of YOURSELVES for the nasty things you say about a person you don't even know. Karma alright.. fear it.

I love it... I bet Beane is so pissed he might pay to get rid of him.. Kenny.. call Billy NOW!!!