wave January 21, 2008 at 5:28 p.m.

If one needs to draw the line btwn shamelessness and resilience, than one is constantly going after a moving target with a pendulum.

The first of which, the definition, can only be hit when one takes stand on what they, themselves, see as the differential.

Meandering btwn the two gives pause to believe that one hasn't the faintest idea of what one or the other actually means.

Or , they just use either as is convenient.

Criticism from hypocrits usually works that way.

coldshoulder3 January 21, 2008 at 5:42 p.m.

Wat ya be blabbering abut wave mun. Yuse bese better opening yur ears drummin and hav da wordies of life enters yu.

Hears me now,for me speakith truth and wissydum.

wave99 January 21, 2008 at 5:43 p.m.

Yea, it is a fair point Cold. I'll certainly keep it in mind.

Thanks.

Ohh...by the way...any interest in chatting with a fascinating lady named Donna ?

ROGER January 21, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.

BLACK'S MEMBERSHIP ON THE VARIOUS BOARDS AND INSTITUTIONS DAMAGES THE REPUTATIONS AND CREDIBILITY OF ALL CONCERNED. Black is a common thief and stands publicly shamed. The honours he bought and extorted now stand in stark contrast with his actually criminal conduct and contempt for the very institutions he wants to be associated with and who honours he boasts he holds. He ought to be publicly stripped of all his honours at a public dishonouring ceremony, but that is to give him greater honours than he deserves! Better his mugshot and processing into jail be broadcast live on pay tv and all chief executives be forced to view it repeatedly, like a Clockwork Orange therapy session.

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 8:22 p.m.

Hi roger.
You have been missed.

Sandy January 21, 2008 at 8:28 p.m.

ROGER January 21, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.

Truthfully Roger, I doubt that anyone besides Black, Amiel and their immediate family is either impressed with or admiring of Black's current " honors ". Most people already know what Black is and isn't and all the titles in the world will not alter what Black is - a crook and convicted felon. The titles and honors are more than likely sources of amusement for anyone " out there " and depict a man who is a pitiful disgrace hanging onto what he perceives are the last vestiges of a long disappeared successful business careeer, etc.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:41 p.m.

The ABB want to alighn themselves with the United
States Justice Department and their over the top harassment of a legitimate businessman. The far left cannot abide the fact that Conrad Black has achieved so much more than the lot of them, the whole lot, could not achieve in four lifetimes.

Be amused little people, laugh away. Black is still towering far above you, even though the USJD had attacked him with everything they had... they are still the losers.

And those who hang on the prosecution's coattails, like so many badgers, are full of venom, full of envy, full of angst...

The game is not over, and you can chatter and bite your lips amongst each other but you will never, none of you, achieve a scintilla of what this man has achieved.

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 8:46 p.m.

LOL! ok lit200, if you say so.
I don't think any of us ever will have a conviction registered under our names!
Anyone got a criminal record here? I bet they don't!

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:46 p.m.

Donna, and Roger and Fintan - where are YOUR honours? Black has the order of Canada. What have you.

Roger insists that he is a "respected economist" and "psychoterapist" and all the other self-proclaimed achievements... it is all poppycock.

That is obvious to anyone who reads this blog. The ineffectual argumentation, the silly self-aggrandisement, the ridiculous self-promotion.

We are laughing at you. The wider world. We are amused by your venimous hatred.

You are nothings, really, merely people who howl like jackels outside the gates of greatness.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:50 p.m.

Jade lee...

easy to say when anonymity is the name of the game here. Have none of you a criminal conviction... I would think that roger does. The earmarks are there... the certain signs of a malcontent... a stalker of greatness, always to be denied...

He is actually a tragic figure... a rigoleto who has killed what little intelligence he had by being unable to recognize greatness... and wanting it so badly himself.

His daughter is the truth and clear thinking... which he has destroyed through his self-aggrandisement.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:54 p.m.

He can try... he can attempt... he can spew his hatred of the self-made man... he can decry and deride and try to destroy but he has nothing... nothing... merely his far left ideology that blinds him to any other considerations... Roger is not a student of life... he is a malcontent who seeks out blogs like a soapbox orator...
spewing nonsense as people pass by, ignoring him, enjoying their ice cream cones.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:57 p.m.

Roger is one of those street corner screechers who pretendto have knowledge because they read a passage from wikipedia. Their knowledge, these street corner impressarios, is less deep than the peel on an apple.

They seethe, they abhor, they distain, they try to ridicule true greatness... and they always fall short... they always reveal the inner core of their inepitude, their longing... their wish to be as good as those they try to tear down

but they never make it... they are left behind in the race.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:03 p.m.

I have witnessed roger posting huge passages from Wikipedia as though it was his own thinking, his own sense of history.

He is a fraud. But he has his accolytes. His Jade, his BBC (especially the adoring BBC).. he has SANDY... whom everyone knows is Donna who was so disgraced in an earlier time that she dare not come back under her original atavar, wwho has post after post deleted from this blog.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:09 p.m.

The only thing that roger and fintan and bbc and jade and kelly and donna have to offer this blog is that hate conrad black and want him to be squashed.

That's it. There is nothing deeper than that in any of their posts.

I have yet to see an intelligent post from any of them, except, perhaps, Jab 3.

Barbara in BC January 21, 2008 at 9:10 p.m.

Lit200 said of all the Conrad Black critics:

"but they never make it... they are left behind in the race."

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but fame and chance happeneth to them all.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:18 p.m.

BBC

ecclesiastes: What is your argument? that roger can be excused his excesses, and fintan too, because it is all up to chance? Or are you saying that Black's achievements are completely arbitrary?

Are you trying to be profound?? Do you live by ecclesiastes?

Barbara in BC January 21, 2008 at 9:18 p.m.

Make that "time and chance".

Because 15 minutes of fame doesn't count!

Barbara in BC January 21, 2008 at 9:26 p.m.

Everyone lives by Ecclesiates, it describes life as being essentially unfair. Since honours are arbitrarily given, they are not a way of measuring someone's worth.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:26 p.m.

Bah. Carry on accolytes.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:37 p.m.

Eienstein, Mozart, Sweitzer, Neuton, Gallileo, Shakespeare...

Let's just forget them, BBC. Their achievements are dreck. Their achievements cannot be counted as a measure of their worth.

leaf January 21, 2008 at 10:19 p.m.

Barbara in BC January 21, 2008 at 9:18 p.m.

Because 15 minutes of fame doesn't count!

----

you mean you're not famous?!!! ☹

----

I'M BACK!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay,
i was so busy couldn't post all day
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
now i'm back are you ready to play?

leaf January 21, 2008 at 10:25 p.m.

FYI everybody, roger is NOT back.
doesn't sound like roger, doesn't read like roger.

most importantly, this 'roger' is not taking Lit on.

so unrogerlike, no?

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 10:45 p.m.

There is no challenge responding to the likes of lit, leaf and wave. They are below average in an average environment, they worship CB despite the fact that he is now a convicted criminal. Their defense of him is not based on evidence but what their school of thought spins.
Others on this blog who defend the likes of lit, leaf and wave like griffith, to site an example, come across shallow and angry at best. Carry on oh lame ones as reading you all here on this blog continues to remind me that not all Canadians are equal.

leaf January 21, 2008 at 10:49 p.m.

“I'd say leaf is crapping him/herself right now as it thinks of the consequences that await it, and the same goes for anyone else posting from the same IP address.” - fickton

----

Right fickton. I’m totally scared.

by the many mentions of my name (or nickname) in absentia, I see that I was much missed indeed.

Not only are you unable to ignore me when I’m posting, as advocated by grandma, but you are also unable to ignore me when I’m absent.

Noted.

Sandy January 21, 2008 at 10:52 p.m.

Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:41 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:46 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:50 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:54 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 8:57 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:03 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:09 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:18 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:26 p.m.
Lit 200 January 21, 2008 at 9:37 p.m.

mmm - I think you're a crack pot, actually....what do you do for an encore ?....lol

leaf January 21, 2008 at 10:59 p.m.

Fintan January 21, 2008 at 9:28 a.m.

Food for thought, my wife made in all some 70 (yes, really!) visits to Russia last year - without me - and also went to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Britain, Ireland and Estonia, likewise without me. Let's see what the Black Guard brigade read into that! She did, however, accompany me on one 4-week trip to Rajasthan.

--------
I am shocked that no one has raised an eyebrow here….

70 visits to Russia in one year?!!!!
That’s 140 travelling days.
How long does your ‘wife’ stay in Russia?
If she stays just 1 day, we’re up to 210 days for Russia alone.

Then, we have: Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Britain, Ireland and Estonia.
So 12 travelling days + let’s say your ‘wife’ spends a couple days in those countries.
210+ 12 +12 = 234
and your ‘wife’ supposedly went with you to Rajasthan.

Your ‘wife’ travels 264 days a year, IF she spends no more than 1 day in Russia per visit, and NO MORE than 2 days anywhere else. Except of course when she accompanies you. She stays 30 days.

You really expect us to believe this, fickton?

Barbara in BC January 21, 2008 at 11:14 p.m.

Lit200 slips out, leaf slips in.

leaf January 21, 2008 at 11:21 p.m.

About my deleted posts:

The following 3 were not written by the real moi.

leaf January 19, 2008 at 3:26 a.m.
[This comment has been removed.]

leaf January 20, 2008 at 3:43 p.m.
[This comment has been removed.]

leaf January 20, 2008 at 6:52 p.m.
[This comment has been removed.]

I keep all my posts on file. I don’t bother with the fake ones.
No biggie, just saying…

So, I now know to avoid the P word if I prefer that my post not be deleted. I got that.

But what about this?

leaf January 20, 2008 at 1:17 p.m.

noticing that the blond is not saying a damn word about all this like the coward, liar, proof fabricator that she is.

----

I repeated this 1:17pm post (which got deleted )at 2:29 and it didn’t get deleted at that time.
Why? And why did it get deleted in the 1st place.

No biggie, just wondering…

Peter Griffiths January 21, 2008 at 11:27 p.m.

Over the weekend someone asked for suggestions as to how this blog could be improved.

First one is easy. No post published unless it somewhere within speaks to the main blog topic - Conrad Black.

Second: Debate or chat between posters must also reference the blog topic.

Third: Creativity required - recycling limit 3 max 4 times using the same buzz words (i.e. Lardship, Zip,

Taking this new thread as an example - so far, (to 6:18 EST), there have been 21 posts.

At best 5 of them have had anything to do with Black or todays thread being a new bio for Black.

Lit has posted 8 times with one, (maybe two) containing any Black content.

Jade is next with 3 posts - 0 Black

wave 1/2, maybe - January 21, 2008 at 5:28 p.m.
referenced "shamelessness and resilience" but shows "one hasn't the faintest idea of what one or the other actually means."
BTW 99, its "hypocrites"

Coldshoulder 0

Roger 1 - his only post was on the topic.

Sandy - sort of on topic but the "crook and convicted felon" doesn't make the cut re:creativity (73rd use of same phrase).

BBC - 3 posts marginally relevant.

leaf - 0 for 0

leaf January 21, 2008 at 11:28 p.m.

in case you forgot blondie, i was referring to this famous quote of yours:

"Ramage ACCIDENTLY killed his good friend in a drunk driving accident."

care to comment further or are you happy making your tiring false accusations?

Barbara in BC January 21, 2008 at 11:29 p.m.

Leaf is guilty of the crime of being boring.

Sandy January 21, 2008 at 11:33 p.m.

Peter Griffiths January 21, 2008 at 11:27 p.m.

You must be very bored, huh?....And what, pray tell, do YOU do for an encore? Unbelievable...I have never witnessed so many differnt ways to totally destroy a once terrific blog.....*sigh*

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 11:35 p.m.

They (TL) had second thoughts about to deleting or not to delete?

leaf January 21, 2008 at 11:38 p.m.

boring?

better than stealing, lying, making up info, impersonating posters, having multiple aliases, constantly calling any pro-justice barbara amiel or anyone related, and , last but not least, making illustrious statements like this one:

"Ramage ACCIDENTLY killed his good friend in a drunk driving accident."

why knock it? gives me something to chew on, always.
no need to read YOUR old posts. reading you on the fly is plenty sufficient.

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 11:40 p.m.

you need to recount griffith

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 11:43 p.m.

peter, peter pumpkin eater!

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 11:46 p.m.

Can't wait to read that prat prose perspective you put out here griffith(s). You bitter little pill.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 12:22 a.m.

good riddance!

no more moaning from the famous one.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 12:39 a.m.

“BTW, I'm still not in handcuffs, but someone else seems to have gone underground. It can run, but not hide.
“ – fickton

-----

see: I’m still here, posting, posting, posting!

Pssttt…. I know it’s the finnish police but I didn’t expect them to pick you up overnight.
These things take time, fickton. Be patient ☺

leaf January 22, 2008 at 1:13 a.m.

wave99 January 20, 2008 at 3:54 p.m.
Leaf...well then...do you think Fintan is gay ?

----

hum... how do i say this without being deleted?

i'll try this: i think fickton goes every which way imaginable and unimaginable.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 1:17 a.m.

LIT--WHAT ARE BLACK'S ACHIEVEMENTS?

1. Black is a convicted thief
2. Black stole from widows
3. Black lost a multi-billion dollar fortune
4. Black has reduced Bud MacDougal's and Taylor's corporate powerhouses to penny stocks and others to complete bankruptcy
5. Black resigned from his Hollinger International CEO position in disgrace and was booted out of his position as chair after being caught double-dealing in clandestine negotiations that violated his fiduciary duty to the company
6. Black, a trained lawyer and experienced corporate executive, was stupid enough to get caught with his hands on the boxes as he did the crime
7. Black lacked the courage and fortitude to testify in his own defence before the Chicago jury---cowardice of the worst kind!
8. Black squandered his inheritance and that of his children, living a fantasy life that only a fool could be suckered into believing had any value or worth of any kind
9. Black was taken in by a gold-digger who used the oldest profession in the world's bag of tricks to seduce him by appealing to his puerile ego and blowing him off, to use the vernacular
10. Black's opportunity cost to his own business interests and those silly enough to invest in his failed ventures can be measured by his failures as opposed to the successes of Ken Thompson and the Aspers and others.
11. Black missed the digital wave, the dot com wave, the database trade in financial info which proved so lucrative to Ken Thompson's strategy and is now being pursued by Rupert Murdoch, not to mention the cable tv and telecommunications opportunities Black failed to capitalize on despite being decades ahead of others by inheriting Standard Broadcasting in the stable of companies he stole from the widows! If it was possible to miss an opportunity, Black took it!
12. Black lost a wife of high quality and substance in Shirley, through the flaws in his character, and lost his family along the way, hardly replaced by a shallow, geriatric barbie doll
13. Black is the butt of jokes and derision and loathing, from Australia, where he is universally detested and loathed by all, to Jerusalem, to London, to New York, to Chicago, to Toronto, where even George Jonas, De Sousa (Kingston), Worthington, Hoy, Levant (Calgary), and the others have gone silent on Black.

So, what are Black's achievements, using the economist's measure of opportunity cost as a yardstick/metrestick?

Al Capone and other mafiosi and organized crime figures also had "achievements", just not the kind of which I would be proud!

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 1:20 a.m.

Good morning, busy day ahead of me, but I'll be back a little later to address the theme in Mr. Bell's intro.

Just one thing to consider, there are two posters who consistently spell hypocrite without the final "e", not just in this thread, but in earlier ones as well. Guess which two? Both are four-letter words and both are suffering from massive anally-related complexes.

The stalker problem is still with us, but these things take time and the criminal will be caught - just like His Lardship was.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 1:23 a.m.

PETER GRIFFITHS-- can you try to be on topic when you post? And another thing, can you edit your verbose drivel into something approaching intelligence? It would be much appreciated. Thank you in anticipation of your compliance. Is it not enough that one has to contend with the Black losers who try to sabotage with their silliness this blog, but that we also have to contend with you and your verbose posts, sorely in need of editing?

leaf January 22, 2008 at 1:30 a.m.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 1:17 a.m.

-----------------------------

Ah! That sounds more like the real roger:

Widows… Bud MacDougal's and Taylor's corporate powerhouses…. violated his fiduciary duty… Black, a trained lawyer and experienced corporate executive…. Vernacular… Ken Thompson and the Aspers… Rupert Murdoch… stole from the widows… Black lost a wife of high quality and substance in Shirley… George Jonas, De Sousa (Kingston), Worthington, Hoy, Levant (Calgary)… using the economist's measure… Al Capone…

Yup, pretty rogeresque if you ask me.
But I could be wrong. Fickton followed so close behind.
Hum… not sure.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 1:32 a.m.

FINTAN--you will be pleased to know that Finland was in the news here in Canada. First, a Finnish company shutdown a major pulp and paper mill in the Maritimes. Then there was a Finnish forensics expert testifying in the bungled work of a self-styled Toronto paediatrics forensics specialist, one Dr Smith, who got numerous people charged and convicted and investigated for murdering children and infants which now turns out to have been totally bogus findings! Dr Smith was full of bluster and a religious zealot. He occupied a position of great power and authority and abused his position and was just plain incompetent. He was also a successful blowhard whom the cops and prosecutors liked and listened to for far too long. The Finn, along with Brit pathologists were here to testify to the wrongdoing and incompetence. Smith is a Black type who refuses to admit error and is now trying to blame everyone else for his failures, including at least one judge!

leaf January 22, 2008 at 1:40 a.m.

that latest roger sounds like that french correspondant, giving us all kinds of wrong info on carla.
no?

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 1:52 a.m.

THE QUICK AND THE DEAD. Black's life is over. History will record that Black led a life of crime that caught up with him in a Chicago court in 2007. When confronted with his crimes in 2003, Black immediately admitted partial culpability and immediately resigned, on the most humiliating terms imaginable. Black had a guilty mind. When fighting for his reputation and his honour in that Chicago courtroom, Black told Judge Amy St Yve that he would exercise his right to remain silent on the charges against him. Thomas More did indeed say that nothing can be read into silence, except that everyone did read into More's silence his sentiments, just as everyone read into Black's silence his fear of self-incrimination and being ripped to shreds on the witness stand. Gone was the bravado and instead we had the whimpering, cowardly Black who would later plead ill-health and infirmity as mitigating factors in sentencing! Black is no Napoleon. Indeed, Black is not even worthy of being a sapper in Napoleon's army. Black is soft and lacking when it counted. That courtroom in Chicago was where Black was required to make his stand, as orator, as fighter, as champion of his cause, as confronter of his "false accusers" and "tormentors", and Black whimped out! Courage deserted him when it mattered most, the most critical moment in his pathetic life and he failed to rise to the occasion. How it must haunt him now! What a shock to his defenders! But it could have been worse! He could actually have tried to testify! Black took the coward's way out. Better to run away to fight another day, except there is no other day. That day was his Waterloo. Black is on the trash heap of history.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2 a.m.

just like donna started posting as donna for reasons evoked by Lit, so i think fickton is now borrowing roger's ID.

he's just about had it with me.
i think. but i could be rong.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 2:01 a.m.

LOL! HOW DO YOU KEEP A TURKEY IN SUSPENSE? LOL! WATCH!

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2:03 a.m.

roger please talk to me. please please please.

jab3 January 22, 2008 at 2:13 a.m.

And your great achievements, Lit?
As well, the great guys you name in your post are not chiefly notable for the elite grops they were inducted into or the honours others bestowed on them (unlike Black's shrinking Nat. Post bio).

Conrad Black seems to have been very concerned with being a great man; but he hasn't quite made it yet, as Roger points out. Perhaps it is because his case is similar to what de Beauvoir points out in explaining why few women as of the mid-20th-century had achieved greatness: women at that time and in the past usually felt they had something to prove--that a woman was indeed great--and were distracted and undercut psychologically by that extra concern, whereas men who achieved greatness were wrapped up in using their considerable talents not in proving they were great or worrying about that, but in creating science, art, literature, music, philosophy, architecture, etc.

I don't believe in hero-worship or the cult of personality, a danger on the far left and the far right, and something that one brand of conmen play on. (Another brand plays the victim card). To preserve democracy and our freedom, we should all be critical of our would-be leaders and betters, and praise only what is praiseworthy in them. Jade-Lee, Barbara in BC, Peter Griffiths, Kelly, and Roger have, as far as I can recall, been good at critical part of this with regard to Black. Wave and Lit have been good at the critical part of this with regard to US Justice and the Black prosecutors. Posters on both sides have been less good on Radler, who deserves criticism, but not because he turned on his partner in fraud and in decades of questionable ethics.

My felicitations to the site administrators on their topiary work on the last thread.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2:16 a.m.

wave99 January 18, 2008 at 5:05 p.m.

Fintan
are you not the guy who left a tel number on one contribution ?

-----
Fintan January 18, 2008 at 5:12 p.m.

That error has been more than adequately corrected, wave

------

if you consider that my reposting your phone # on this blog about a dozen times + spreading it around on the net is adequately corrected, then yes,
i would agree fickton: That error has been more than adequately corrected

leaf January 22, 2008 at 3:10 a.m.

about fickton's travelling wife... i don't want to belabour this, but does it make sense that a woman in her 60s travels so much in 1 year?
so much and so fast: in and out of russia 70 times a year!

i'm sure blondie has a reasonable explanation. let's hear it sweetheart coz i'm SURE fickton will avoid answering.

Armand January 22, 2008 at 3:19 a.m.

Carla has confirmed that she is not going to India and that she is not married to Nico. Sarko says I fooled you all.

Benny Hollinger January 22, 2008 at 6:29 a.m.

What Conrad Black omitted in his self serving CV, replete with the most glaring of omissions, are the ghosts that will haunt him for the rest of his life: the good men that preceded him in the stewardship of Hollinger, once a great company, and the shareholders who once believed he was an honest man.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 7:56 a.m.

Back again after a busy and eventful morning and now I can address the subject of the blog.

Mr. Bell again hits the nail fairly and squarely on the head when he notes that it matters “not an iota” what the Nazional Post writes about His Lardship. Their failure to mention his conviction and imminent departure for the hoosegow is very much in line with a rag that addresses the neocon converted and other right-wingers in any case and its selectivity with regard to its founder and occasional columnist (soon to take an extended leave of absence) is only being true to its selective and tendentious coverage of just about everything anyway.

Back in 2003 Finland’s first woman Prime Minister, Anneli Jäätteenmäki http://www.112petition.eu/images/support..., was appointed when she led her party to victory in the general election. She served for only a few weeks before an allegation was made that she had, while still in opposition, procured classified documents to which she was not entitled to have access and it was announced that a criminal investigation was being launched.

While maintaining her innocence of any wrongdoing, she immediately resigned.

Why? She explained that she did not wish to remain in her high office when there was even a hint of suspicion of wrongdoing focused on her, as that might reflect negatively on the office and, besides, its incumbent needed to give the job his or her full attention.

When the matter did come to court, she was completely exonerated and now represents our country as a distinguished Member of the European Parliament.

I do not agree with many of her party’s policies, and it is difficult to imagine my ever voting for them (I oscillate between the Greens and the Left Union), but I have had the pleasure of meeting her and respect her as a woman of integrity who could teach all of us – and especially His Lardship – a thing or two about cojones and honourable behaviour.

If His Lardship were anything other than the despicable denier that he is, he would have followed her example and resigned all of his honorary offices and titles until such time as he has been cleared of all charges against him – which he confidently blusters is bound to happen eventually – although I believe there will be mango groves on Ganymede before that.

In the meantime, his insistence on clinging to titles only taints all of the decent people who are Members of the Order of Canada, the Privy Council (which is more likely to be seen as the Latrine Council as long as he has anything to do with it) and all of the other bodies that are listed in his CV.

Yet there are still some misguided souls who delude themselves that he is anything other than a thief:
http://media.www.mcgilltribune.com/media...

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 7:59 a.m.

Jab 3

Whatever my achievements are, they will never be posted in this blog. Unlike the two main anti-conrad black posters here, I will not engage in telling the blog how educated I am, what degrees I have attained, how superior I am in every way. I find this boasting insufferably bad-mannered.

I also am also annoyed by the lack of balance. Conrad Black has many weaknesses but he is still human, not an ogre. Why, I believe - don't tell roger or fintan - he even loves his children! Fintan will weep crocodile tears for Alana when she hears "her father has been cornholed in prison." His take, under the guise of provoking those with a more balanced view, is plain disgusting.

I don't know this for a fact, but I strongly suspect that, while Black has enjoyed the high life, he has also contributed strongly, VERY strongly, to a number of charities and I would not be surprised to learn he has spent more on charity over the years, than on himself.

I also find it distasteful to bring Barbara Amiel into the equation. Fintan should be running a scandal tabloid with his incessant drumbeat on two or three issues having to do with the blacks' sex life, or the sex life he wishes upon them. He will be back on today with the same, the very same litany of infamous daily pandering.

And finally the accolytes, Donna, under the tissue disguise of sandy, Barbara in BC, and the latecomer, Jade-lee, who spend most of their time here applauding the latest erroneous postings by roger or fintan and complimenting one another: "You are 100 per cent right, bang on! congratulations." Makes me ill.

I have fallen into their trap - become as bad as they are - by becoming angry. It takes the patience of Job not to react to their knee-jerk, far left, "I'm right and you're wrong," self righteousness.

I'll try to do better, but I'm not promising anything.

In a few hours, Judge Amy St Eve will decide whether Black can remain free on bail pending his appeal. We'll have something new to chew on. Thank goodness!

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 8:09 a.m.

Peter.

Had a bet with Lit, if you read a post 4 segments back, that you would be correcting me again,for the fourth time,on my spelling of hypocrit.

Kind of amusing.

I might be a hypocrit though if I now started to care much.

Having said that, I like your off topic point. It brings us back to reality a bit. My 1 profound disagreement though is that Coldshoulder's post was incredibly on topic and insightful.

ValC January 22, 2008 at 8:11 a.m.

We don't need honours on our CVs to partake of the most important things in life -- the love of our families, fellowship of good friends, enjoying the beauty of a sunny day. In this respect, CB is neither better nor worse than me even though my CV is extremely barren compared to his.

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 8:22 a.m.

On another site, Fintan says:

"If he was not driven by a desire to acquire wealth, why did he steal millions of shareholder's cash, as a jury he found he had done. And that was after a four-month trial in which he was defended by one of the most formidable and expensive legal teams ever assembled."

Did he steal? Or did he arrange his financial affairs so as to lessen his tax exposure, as he is entitled to do under law. And Ah, his "formidable" legal team! I recall Fintan referring to the two eddies as blundering has beens. Different times, different opinions.

"And why did a Canadian want to be part of an anachronistic and undemocratic legislative body in a foreign country."

And what's that got to do with the price of cheese in Denmark?

"He is a convicted fraudster... "

Normally, it is wise to withhold comments about the opera until AFTER the fat lady sings.

"... and should try to save whatever vestige of dignity he still has by taking his punishment like a man and doing his porridge."

And if he has been wronged by a scandalously overzealous USDJ? Just tug a forelock, says Fintan, and say, "aye, capt'n, right or wrong, it's always aye."

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 8:26 a.m.

You win Wave. Please accept my cheque in keyboard dollars.

It has as much value as stocks today on the NYSE.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 8:28 a.m.

Sorry about that dud link I posted a few minutes ago. I accessed the article in question with no problem this morning, but now registration is required. The gist of the sycophantic article was that His Lardship never wanted money, just to change the world, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I posted a comment asking why, then, he had stolen millions and pointed out that a jury had convicted him of it after a four-month trial during which he was defended by one of the best and most expensive legal teams ever assembled.

Tut, tut, again Lit. You accuse me of vulgarity and yet add a new word to my vocabulary, when you reveal your fantasies about His Lardship getting "cornholed" in the hoosegow. And how would i know about it even if it happened? The scream would hardly carry all the way from Florida to here.

What is it with you and wave? Just because I make a humorous crack about one of the things that will make prison life less boring than His Lardship clearly thinks it will be, you take it all seriously, which makes me wonder ...

And when have I ever said anything bad about Alana Black? I feel sorry for any innocent family members who inevitably suffer when a relative is incarcerated. But she will only have to suffer the shame of being associated with him. The children and other relatives of people who are sent to prison all suffer that, and most of them have real financial difficulties to cope with as well.

At least Alana will be spared that. And I am not to blame for her misfortune. Her father is, and no amount of denial on your part will alter that fact.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 8:56 a.m.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 1:32 a.m.

FINTAN--you will be pleased to know that Finland was in the news here in Canada ...

Thanks for that bit of news, Roger. I don't follow business developments that closely, but there was something in the papers a few weeks ago about Stora-Enso (actually a Finnish-Swedish forest products company), which burned its fingers badly in Canada. If I recall correctly, they made acquisitions there, but later sold them off and lost around €3 bn in the process. There have been predictable howls of "I told you so", from the Finnish Paperworkers' Union - which had indeed told them so at the time.

No one has lost his job and I expect they will still get fat bonuses, but there has been no suggestion that they did anything crooked like His Lardship. Stupidity is not a crime in the Nordic region, stealing is. Poor CB, he was guilty of both.

The other matter is a warning to all of us not to place blind trust in "experts" who manage to sell an exaggerated picture of their competence.

There have been two glaring examples of that in the UK in recent times. One had several women convicted of murdering their "cot death" babies and they spent time in jail before he was totally discredited. Another convinced a local authority that there had been hundreds of cases of child sex abuse by parents and other family members.

Just wait for it, now Lit will pounce on this as irrefutable proof that hundreds of person-years of sifting through documents, four months in court and long deliberations by a jury somehow got it wrong.

The Site Administrators should be getting to their desks any time soon now and some more "topiary" can be expected.

The poor stalker is now all in a tizzy trying to figure out why my wife visits Russia so often. What a Dummkopf! Isn't the answer obvious? She smuggles radioactive materials to the West for you-know-who. Despite crossing the frontier around 140 times in a single year, she has somehow managed to deal with the geiger counters there and neither the Russian nor the Finnish customs and border guards have become suspicious yet.

Yes, the stalker has no idea what a big-time operator it is dealing with. Time to get surfin' and find the URLs of these authorities and then send them a dossier.

ROFLMAO!

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 9:07 a.m.

Fintan:

"Just wait for it, now Lit will pounce on this as irrefutable proof that hundreds of person-years of sifting through documents, four months in court and long deliberations by a jury somehow got it wrong."

Research and juries never get it wrong. Tell that to the inquisition, tell it to all the "felons" who have been falsely accused, falsely imprisoned, falsely executed.

The USDJ should hire you, Fintan, to go around to all the families of wrongfully convicted "felons" to voice your unshakable opinion that the authorities NEVER get things wrong.

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 9:23 a.m.

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 7:59 a.m.

Jab 3

Whatever my achievements are, they will never be posted in this blog. Unlike the two main anti-conrad black posters here, I will not engage in telling the blog how educated I am, what degrees I have attained, how superior I am in every way. I find this boasting insufferably bad-mannered.

How convenient for you. And, of course, we are supposeed to find credibility in your comment? Anyone who posts that myriad of posts every few minutes as you did last evening as well as some of the silliest comments yet in these posts, is clearly close to lunacy and pathetic hero worship for a convicted felon.
Loved your post above about your Prime Minister, Fintan, and absolutely agree that had Black any of that so called " class " he boasts of and courage and sense of true nobility, he would not only have resigned all his titles but he would also have stopped any publication, such as the NP, from continuing to announce or list these titles and honors. But Black is the classic, pontificating blowhard.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 9:54 a.m.

Thanks, Sandy. Don't be too hard on Lit. I guess there's a little personal element to its loyalty somewhere in the background and the poor creature is distraught thinking about the horrible things that will soon happen to someone used to mansions and servants and executive jets and being the big honcho. He'll soon learn to know his place and not try to Lord it. He'll quickly figure out who it is worth sucking up to and whom it is better not to annoy.

As little as I know about stocks and shares, and stock markets and things like that, even I was rather astonished at one of Lit's comments yesterday, when stock markets started falling here and everywhere else.

(S)he quoted that financial genius' advice supposedly given ages ago to sell. But if everyone is selling, who would buy? Did His lardship tell us that? And isn't it the case that share prices always fall when there is heavy selling?

Now it looks like the sky will soon be dark with millionaires jumping out of windows, but I think it might have something to do with a lunatic president (cheerleaded, arselicked and praised by His Lardship), who BOTH cut taxes and went on to spend gazillions on two ruinous wars that can't be won. However, I have to admit that I might be wrong.

Idiot that I am, I spent most of my surplus income on property and a contributory pension when I had a fair amount of it and all my acquaintances were buying stocks, some even on borrowed money.

Some of them, especially those who knew when to get out, escaped burning their fingers. They'll still have a roof over their heads and three squares a day for the foreseeable future, and so will I.

Come to think about it, His Lardship won't have any worries in that respect, either.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 9:56 a.m.

The Blog Battle

How fitting that we are at war here. CB is a student of war. He often spoke of battles in great detail much to the chagrin of the elite cocktail crowd he wooed.
As far as CB's CV is concerned, there are only a very few people in this world who really care about the accomplishments of others, as most people understand, luck and privilege play a role in who we become as well as how easy it is to lose the facade with only one slip into bad judgment. I am prepared to give CB his metals of honour, he can keep them for what they are worth, but when public documents are updated and omit his recent conviction, all of us should be alerted to the fact, history is often distorted and that we should take most information with a grain of salt. Critical thinking hopefully will guide the judge in her decision.
The Battle continues.....

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 10:12 a.m.

Having worked in the criminal justice field myself, I recall my first day on a job when I was told this:
"now that you are aware of how the job should work, go see how the job really works."
I find most inmates like CB learn fast. Adjust and even empathize with others less fortunate than themselves.
The punishment is simply being there. CB having been sent to boarding school as a child will find many similarities and perhaps realizes that he knows how to make an easy buck, prison can be beneficial for someone like CB.

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 10:21 a.m.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 9:56 a.m.

Great post, jade_lee. Your posts almost always make a lot of sense, are calmly rational - none of the typical lit200 hysteria, for example - and interesting to read.

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 10:25 a.m.

Jade lee is content to give conrad black his honours, but not his humanity, refuses to see any good in the man.

But as to her point, and the point of this thread, I agree. The writeup on Black in the NP should include the fact that he has been convicted of fraud and obstruction by an American court and that he is appealing those convictions.

------

Here is Fintan's advice; no doubt what he has taught it to the youth in his family: "learn to know your place and not try to Lord it. You'll quickly figure out who it is worth sucking up to and whom it is better not to annoy."

This is, after all, Finlandization by another name. It might be an admirable course for a nation trying to maintain independence in the shadow of belligerent giants, but as for a man vis-a-vis the government, or the overwhelming power of the instruments of government?

I prefer Thoreau.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 10:38 a.m.

"Will you have money left when all the paper burns?"
Scary thought.

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 10:40 a.m.

That, indeed, is a scary thought Jade_lee.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 10:44 a.m.

That is funny to read Sandy as I was quite juvenile yesterday on this blog. I like a good battle myself.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 10:53 a.m.

CB's appeal is like a gauze pad on an open wound. It might stop him going to jail now but eventually he will have to face the confines of a cell. Battle up.

Kelly January 22, 2008 at 10:55 a.m.

Imagine Lit 200 of all people fancying herself to be an arbiter of intelligence. That would be the same Lit who after all this time of blogging about the case hasn’t grasped that the SEC doesn’t bring criminal charges. The Lit who tries to position herself as guardian of the truth, fairness and all things good, and then writes posts rife with misrepresentations, fantasies, and outright lies (as if we wouldn’t notice!)

Black has already been squashed...due to his own unbridled arrogance and greed. If anyone were guilty of overreach it would be one Conrad Black who reached into the pockets of shareholders and got a pummeling he never envisioned but won’t soon forget.

That’s the simple truth the congenitally hypocritical Lit 200 can’t seem to accept. She claims she’s sick of invective, then goes into a paroxysm of exactly that.

What a sad spectacle.

(Einstein, Schweitzer, and Newton must be rolling in THEIR graves!).

Kelly January 22, 2008 at 10:57 a.m.

Thanks for the article about Michelle Obama, Fintan. She must be whip-smart for her Harvard professors to say that she was one of their best students. If she was an AA recruit, it’s notable because they’re often stigmatized as underqualified minorities who need a handicap instead of qualified minorities who need to be protected against discrimination. A distinction the regressive Black seems to ignore.

I would have expected a CEO of an international public company to be more urbane, but instead his comment about her callipgyian assets (in the middle of a political commentary no less) suggest a rough-around-the-edges, chortling good ol’ boy.

*****

Good to see Roger back and the 1.17 post IS spot on. Perhaps that’s what triggered Lit’s hissy fit, the prospect of further humiliation...

*****

"Spinsters"...how quaint! I didn’t think anyone used that word anymore. I was wrong...evidently.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 11:09 a.m.

Lit, the poor thing, just doesn't get it when (s)he writes things like this about "Finlandization" (what a pathetic Cold War term, used to insult nations that refused to blindly follow the Americans' in everything): "It might be an admirable course for a nation trying to maintain independence in the shadow of belligerent giants ..."

I suppose Lit means small neighbours like Finland - and Canada for that matter.

What the poor creature overlooks is that Finland not only tried to remain independent, but also succeeded.

So did Canada, despite the likes of His Lardship who made it clear he wanted to abolish the place and have it merged with - or at least turned into a smaller clone of - the country that is now jailing him.

I'll say this for the Lit, though. There's something between those ears after all. Look, it even figured out that "Confused in Finland", who demolished that silly argument in the McGill Rag was me. Wow, what an intellect to figure that out!

Jade-Lee, I love that analogy with a gauze pad and an open wound, and I'll never forgive you for thinking of it before me! LOL

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 11:20 a.m.

I read that analogy in a different context and thought it fit perfectly, It's also a great analogy when one thinks of the current economic solutions being offered up around the globe.

Kelly January 22, 2008 at 11:29 a.m.

Lit says:
"I don't know this for a fact, but I strongly suspect that, while Black has enjoyed the high life, he has also contributed strongly, VERY strongly, to a number of charities and I would not be surprised to learn he has spent more on charity over the years, than on himself."

I rest my case!

(By the way Lit, you make the narrow-minded assumption that all the "ABB" are part of the far left. I'm a centrist and if anything lean right on some issues. It's exactly because I tend to be pro-capitalism that I am against white collar crime, get it?)

Barbara in BC January 22, 2008 at 11:48 a.m.

Too right Kelly, it's capitalists who want to bring the Robber Barons down. The philosophy of the Libertarian Conservative otherwise known as a Neocon is 1. abolish government and taxes and 2. let the rich guys use their philanthropic skills to support those institutions they deem valuable.

This is where opera houses get more money and families on welfare get less. Why support the poor? Got to keep up the supply of people desperate to work for said Robber Barons. Back to the good old Victorian days that Charles Dickens described so well!

Kelly January 22, 2008 at 12:01 p.m.

"Back to the good old Victorian days that Charles Dickens described so well!"

Good post Barb. Agreed. I don't for a minute believe he stole only $6 million - it's just that the standard, "beyond a reasonable doubt" in a criminal proceeding is so high that it's sometimes difficult to hold them to account for all of their malfeasance. My point in short, is that I'd look at any donations he made with a healthy bit of skepticism.

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 12:07 p.m.

It is an interesting time in investments. I don't think it is time to panic, but it should enlighten all of us to find a way to diversify.

During this process of mutual fund deterioration, the actual chance to purchase prudent dividend relaed funds becomes obviously more attractive.

I think real estate has pockets of tremendous value if one was so inclinded to get into owning apts in productive rental areas, particularly in the US.

Last week in FL, I saw 4 ads for properties, including multi family units, that had mkt appraisals in the 500k range, going to auction starting at 100k and with no reserve.

Another interesting avenue to diversify is in true rare collectables. #1's. Things completely original and 1 of a kind.

It's stunning how these type of things reliably and regularly go up in value. The men and women of the world who buy these type of things, tend not to be effected by blips in the mkt !

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 12:14 p.m.

Kelly.

The standard for conviction is rediculously low.

Assumed guilt.

Ostrich.

Piling on.

Abandoning the very premise( stating clearly both in the Pros opening and prior to the trial ) for being in court.

Abandoning their 'star' witness.

Subjecting Board members to testify against the 4,else they get thrown to the wolves.

Including Kipnis as a nasty example of over-reach and of what would have happened to the Board had they not towed the line.

Final FINAL word

A Pros ignoring the jury verdict and wanting the non guilties overlooked in sentencing.

On and on...

It's just so silly Kelly, to attempt to suggest otherwise.

Odd mindset.

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 12:26 p.m.

I don't for a minute believe he stole only $6 million - it's just that the standard, "beyond a reasonable doubt" in a criminal proceeding is so high that it's sometimes difficult to hold them to account for all of their malfeasance. My point in short, is that I'd look at any donations he made with a healthy bit of skepticism. - Kelly

Closer, far closer to the " kleptocracy " as stated by Breeden, et. al. I, too, believe that it would have been, and indeed was, easier to have a jury convict on lesser amounts, given the standard of " beyond reasonable doubt ". I have no doubt that the 95.2% of net adjusted income of Hollinger, Int. between 1997 and 2003 is really the amount that was stolen by Black. The fact that he was removed from Hollinger, investigated, stripped of everything including good name, tried and and convicted is sufficient.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 12:41 p.m.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 8:56 a.m.

The Site Administrators should be getting to their desks any time soon now and some more "topiary" can be expected.

hehe...wishful thinking mister finland. lunch time and none of my night shift posts has been deleted.

maybe the adm. listened to your earlier request:

"Site Administrators please note:
I would appreciate it if you did not delete any more of leaf's posts."

- posted by Fickton on January 19, 2008 at 3:32 p.m.

who do you think is lol now, fickton? not to mention roflmfao....

dr January 22, 2008 at 12:46 p.m.

The old one...

Conrad Black is the founder of the National Post. From 1996 to 2000, he was chairman of the Southam Company, Canada's leading newspaper company.
Mr. Black is also a writer and commentator, the author of Render Unto Caesar (the life of Maurice Duplessis), the autobiographical A Life in Progress, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Champion of Freedom, and numerous articles in the National Interest, Wall Street Journal, The American Spectator, and many other publications. He was a member of the steering committee of the Bilderberg Meetings for twenty years, a member of the international advisory board of the Council on Foreign Relations, and of the Americas Society (New York), and remains a member of the Trilateral Commission, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (London), and a trustee of the Hudson Institute (Washington).
He is a life peer of the United Kingdom (Lord Black of Crossharbour, since 2001), a member of the Privy Council and Officer of the Order of Canada, and a knight of the Holy See. He has been a director of many prominent companies, including Brascan, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, CanWest, and Sotheby's.
His career as a publisher and financier has been interrupted by a controversy that has resulted in his being indicted for fraud and related offenses in the United States. He has described the charges against him as unfounded and scurrilous. He looks forward to a complete acquittal and vindication and the full resumption of his financial career.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 12:48 p.m.

Me thinks that you are watching carefully what you type here leaf, you are self-regulating. It's even more entertaining!

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 12:50 p.m.

Look, I found something about His Lardship that makes even less sense than Lit (yes, really!):

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl...

leaf January 22, 2008 at 12:51 p.m.

ValC January 22, 2008 at 8:11 a.m.

We don't need honours on our CVs to partake of the most important things in life -- the love of our families, fellowship of good friends, enjoying the beauty of a sunny day. In this respect, CB is neither better nor worse than me even though my CV is extremely barren compared to his.

------

ValC as in fickton....
remember: who else doesn't need a jet or copter to get there just the same? (except when he gets there, fickton washes the dishes, he doesn't eat the lobster and caviar)

fickton's coming reply: but who won't be getting lobster in the hoosegow in 47 (?) days? blah blah blah

my wife may be a nymphomaniac type traveler and that is why we have managed to stay together apart for 38 years!

leaf January 22, 2008 at 12:58 p.m.

jade_lee January 21, 2008 at 8:50 a.m.

A note to all those who support leaf, your support is very telling about what kind of people you are. Put yourself in the shoes of fintan who has been called those awful things and ask yourself how you would feel. (you people lack all empathy).

Hey jello… I’ve been called a P word name on this blog! I’ve been called a murderer, a retard, a midget, etc etc etc

I certainly can put myself in his shoes.

Compare both attitudes.
‘nough said.

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 1:01 p.m.

" His career as a publisher and financier has been interrupted by a controversy that has resulted in his being indicted for fraud and related offenses in the United States. He has described the charges against him as unfounded and scurrilous. He looks forward to a complete acquittal and vindication and the full resumption of his financial career. "

That last sentence is a hoot...lol.

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 1:04 p.m.

Thank you dr

Fintan: I know you are a master of knowing your place and sucking up, as you yourself have put forward as the best way forward in life. That's the way you bring up your young. But please, leave me out of it.

You are so touchy about Finlandization. Take it easy! It's not an out-of-date word at all. On the contrary it's in all the dictionaries, even mediocre ones. Why betray your past?

Every time I make an innocent comment, the ABB flutters around like chickens with a fox in the coop. Settle down! I'm not really hungry.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 1:07 p.m.

And you disrespect me by calling me "jello" every time you address me on this blog....I have come to expect no less from you.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 1:10 p.m.

I can think of many words still in mediocre dictionaries that are "out of date" and most sane people refuse to use them.
Sometimes the past should be put to rest, especially when it becomes counterproductive to keep bringing it up.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 1:12 p.m.

And just think leaf, after all is said and done here, we still think of you as a lady.

Lit 200 January 22, 2008 at 1:15 p.m.

Jade-lee gives her justification for the revisionist view of history. Make the facts fit your preferences.

This is a quite prevalent notion among the anti-black crowd here.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 1:21 p.m.

is fickton still with us or is he in shameful mode now?

was just wondering, fickton, what you meant when you said that "That error has been more than adequately corrected, wave"

to refresh your memory, here is the context:

wave99 January 18, 2008 at 5:05 p.m.

Fintan
are you not the guy who left a tel number on one contribution ?

-----
Fintan January 18, 2008 at 5:12 p.m.

That error has been more than adequately corrected, wave

------

as i wrote earlier: if you consider that my reposting your phone # on this blog about a dozen times + spreading it around on the net is adequately corrected, then yes,
i would agree fickton: That error has been more than adequately corrected.

i'll be happy to correct it even more adequately if you'd like.
which is it, fickton? i'm confused now. you often write the opposite of what you really mean, wish or believe...

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 1:22 p.m.

"His career as a publisher and financier has been interrupted by a controversy that has resulted in his being indicted for fraud and related offenses in the United States. He has described the charges against him as unfounded and scurrilous. He looks forward to a complete acquittal and vindication and the full resumption of his financial career." (part of the old bio kindly posted by dr)

It kind of reminds me of Emperor Hirohito, who went on the radio just after the Americans had nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki and told his people (who were hearing his voice for the first time) that the war situation had developed "not necessarily to Japan's advantage."

And they call it "British" understatement!

His Lardship has almost outhirohitoed Hirohito.

Then his defenders claim he gave huge sums to charity. Hooey! Barbara in BC has put that one to rest pretty well.

When you seek to grace such auspicious circles as His Lardship and Morticia tried to do, laying some bread on opera houses, universities and similar establishments is almost de rigeur.

We will never know the real amount that His Lardship ripped off in one way or another, but it could run into hundreds of millions. No big deal to give a few percent of that away and gain some kudos in the eyes of the other rich. Crumbs from the wealthy man's table. How much did he give the RC church for that ridiculous title, Knight of the Holy See? Despite the fact that the same church must, according to its own rules, regard him as "living in sin" with Morticia.

The same church also gave some kind of gong to Rupert Murdoch, one of the biggest purveyors of soft porn on the planet. Rupie isn't even a Catholic, but his then wife was, before he switched to a younger model. And I suppose some dough changed hands then as well.

Anything His Lardship ever gave away was to bolster his social standing, burnish his image and augment his own sense of grandeur and importance.

One of the items of information that I read about him during the past months was an anecdote about the time he and Morticia spent a weekend at some big shot's country house in England. There was a breakdown in communications between them, it seems, because both left the customary envelope with a "gratuity" (what ordinary mortals like us would call a "tip") for the servants. Probably some token sum like a couple of hundred pounds (a quarter the price of a pair of Manolo Blackarse shoes) to be shared out among the butler, footmen, cooks, and so on.

When they realised their mistake, His Lardship Baron Black of Countingtheshekels actually wrote to their host requesting the return of one of the envelopes.

Oh, what a pair! Just be glad they never managed to breed!

leaf January 22, 2008 at 1:26 p.m.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 1:10 p.m.
I can think of many words still in mediocre dictionaries that are "out of date" and most sane people refuse to use them.

------

please name 5. one for each finger from1 of your lying typing hands.
you haven't got all day, by the way...

leaf January 22, 2008 at 1:39 p.m.

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 1:12 p.m.
And just think leaf, after all is said and done here, we still think of you as a lady.

speak for yourself jello. many think i'm a gentleman. or a man.
want to see the evidence?

the truth is: nobody knows if i'm a man or a woman. nobody knows what country i'm from. nobody knows zilch about me because i have never written anything about myself - except that i speak 3 languages.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 1:44 p.m.

Jade_Lee and others, just let the resident stalker get on with it and give law enforcement time to do its job. It now calls my wife a nymphomaniac, has threatened violence against me in the past, made nuisance reports to a foreign police force, but none of that matters. No one sane will take its insane emanations seriously. I suppose the next thing would be nuisance calls in the middle of the night, but it probably has enough vestigial sanity to realise I've thought of and made provision for that.

Jail or padded cell. At least, unlike His Lardship, it has two options.

Enough about that trash, here's an interesting blog written by a professor in Glasgow, Scotland. He makes the very good point that the Schweyn is largely a creation of His Lardship and Morticia. For that alone, even if we overlook the millions His Lardship stole, both of them deserve all the misery that is coming their way. http://ethxblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/fre...

leaf January 22, 2008 at 1:52 p.m.

"I suppose the next thing would be nuisance calls in the middle of the night, but it probably has enough vestigial sanity to realise I've thought of and made provision for that."

-----

again i ask: is this a dare, fickton?

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2:02 p.m.

how many times has fickton written - i paraphrase - the leaf hasn't called last nite... the leaf still hasn't called, i live on hope... if the leaf calls, i will have its phone # and so will the blog...and now he's been wondering if the leaf will make nuisance calls...

what does fickton want?!!!!!

Barbara in BC January 22, 2008 at 2:12 p.m.

Jade_lee said:

"And just think leaf, after all is said and done here, we still think of you as a lady."

- Conrad Black: "that ain't no lady, that's my wife!"

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2:14 p.m.

blondie

clic

Barbara in BC January 22, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.

An article from today's Globe and Mail that asks Why did [Libertarian] Allan Greenspan let the American economy get into the mess it's in?

"Did Greenspan sell out investors?
Rationalizations aside, the Federal Reserve's low rates helped the mortgage industry run amok"

BARRIE MCKENNA

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

January 22, 2008 at 6:10 AM EST

"WASHINGTON — As global markets melt like a slab of butter on a hot frying pan, it's about time to figure out who cranked up the stove.

Where's Alan Greenspan, anyway?

Apparently, he anticipated our unwanted scrutiny.

The former U.S. Federal Reserve Board chief has taken great pains to shift blame for the mortgage crisis away from himself and the Fed's low-interest jet fuel of the 2001-04 period.

The maestro's take: A post-Cold War economic boom in the developing world produced a dangerous underpricing of risk on a global scale that no one - not even the Fed - could control.

Don't look at me, Mr. Greenspan argues. Blame China or India."

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/...

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 2:24 p.m.

leaf I think what fintan is trying to tell you is that he changed his phone number. k

Barbara in BC January 22, 2008 at 2:27 p.m.

jade_lee: I think you're a saint for being helpful to leaf.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2:28 p.m.

an hour later and we still don't know 1 word, let alone 5, "still in mediocre dictionaries that are "out of date" and most sane people refuse to use them", which jello can think of.

like fickton (what does fickton want?!!!!!) and the "Ramage ACCIDENTLY killed his good friend in a drunk driving accident." blond, jello will claim she's busy.

none of them can back up what they claim!

NONE!!!!!

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 2:34 p.m.

I'm not busy at all. I think I might go for a winter walk and let you stew here like a wilted piece of cabbage leaf. See the thing is, nobody, I mean nobody has to engage in your warped challenges, Type away leaf. In this age of techno relating you fail the stink test.

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2:38 p.m.

fickton hasn't had one nuisance call. not one!!!

still, he changed his phone # ?

looks to me like he's trying to hide something if you ask me.
i mean, now that the police can trace him with his phone #...
matters not. like i said, an old phone # doesn't disappear in thin air. it would be naïve to believe it, but then: you ARE naïve. and irreversibly stupid!

-----

I’m singing in the blog
Just singing in the blog
What a glorious feelin
I’m laughing again

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 2:48 p.m.

One person's guess is another person's truth eh leaf.
Sticks and stones as they say. No more naive than you.
The fact is leaf, you've got to do better than you're doing here.
I imagine you as a school yard bully now rather than a person with an opinion. If you want my opinion, take it! I'm going for a walk so I won't be using it! LOL!

leaf January 22, 2008 at 2:51 p.m.

if i want your opinion, jello, i'll give it to you.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 3:30 p.m.

Back again. There was a brilliant BBC programme about India on TV, part of a series on the history of that great land.

Jade-Lee, the nutter is obsessed with every little detail of everything about me. I wasn't trying to tell it anything, but did mention that I bought a new mobile phone last Friday. The number remains the same.

The nutter boasts and threatens, but in the end is too chicken to try and call me, something that I emphasise I deny it permission to do.

Let the law deal with that twisted personality.

Right VC?

Any news from Chicago?

If I calculate correctly, it's about 2.20 p.m. there and I hope the judge has denied him a bail bond so that, as is only right, he goes to the hoosegow on 3 March. It will still be Lent, which starts on 6 February, so he can hope that Bubba is a Catholic and has given up some or other little pleasure for the duration.

Before Lit/Wave gets all hissy-fitty and pempty, let me add that, of course, I mean he won't be smoking in the same cell as non-smoker CB or anything like that, and His lardship will have a week or to to adjust to his new surroundings.

The Year of the Rat begins the day after Ash Wednesday, by the way. I bet His Lardship will be thinking of his fellow criminal and (much more temporarily) fellow jailbird on that date.

Kelly January 22, 2008 at 3:42 p.m.

jab3 January 22, 2008 at 2:13 a.m.

Apt reference to Beauvoir – enjoyed that.

Agree that the USDJ shouldn’t be above scrutiny. That said, neither Lit nor Wave have contributed much to that endeavor beyond predictably claiming prosecutorial overreach and piling on. Wave just babbles aimlessly and still claims the “pros” were trying to overturn the guilty verdicts which is different than acquitted conduct sentencing (as I painstakingly explained to him).

Re: Radler, hmmm…I had to think about that one, but I feel that he fessed up (under duress), paid significant restitution and will serve some jail time. He seems street smart vs. Black who is more book smart I think. (Unless you meant the fact that Radler got only 2+ years which is bizarre. I have wondered how the prosecutors, after all their hard work, could have done that and in the process hamstrung the judge in Black’s sentencing.)

*****

Sandy:
That net income figure is always stunning. As you said though, Black has been brought to justice.

No one likes a Rat January 22, 2008 at 3:48 p.m.

Kelly said: Radler, hmmm…I had to think about that one, but I feel that he fessed up (under duress), paid significant restitution and will serve some jail time. He seems street smart vs. Black who is more book smart I think.

Yeah but atleast Black isn't a rat. No one likes a filthy rat like Radler, I hope he gets shivved in the pen for what he did. He's a dirty, filthy rat, atleast the others maintained in the face of such pressure, you just have to respect that.

Kelly January 22, 2008 at 3:52 p.m.

Fintan:
I know the appeal was being presented today but is the judge actually going to rule today? Anyway, I just checked and haven't seen anything new.

kelly January 22, 2008 at 4:03 p.m.

Thanks for that, Kelly, I thought she'd rule at once. What's there to think about? As I said last week, the short answer is "no" and the long answer is "no, no, no". On the other hand, it's good to see His Lardship and Morticia sweating it in uncertainty about when he's going to the hoosegow. That he's going sooner or later is certain. Better to take his punishment like a man (figure of speech only - cowardice and courage are not the exclusive preserve of either gender) and get it over and done with.

Warning: Incoherent drivel ahead.

http://www.macleans.ca/canada/opinions/a...

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 4:13 p.m.

I forget whether it was 95.2% of net income or 92.5% but it doesn't really matter - final amount as declared by Breeden was over 400 million dollars between those 6 years, Kelly. Difficult to believe that someone of Breeden's stature would toss around horrific numbers like that unless there was truth to them. Given Black's lifestyle at the time the investigation began, it makes perfect sense that those financial figures were not overstated.

No one likes a Rat January 22, 2008 at 4:23 p.m.

Sandy said: I forget whether it was 95.2% of net income or 92.5% but it doesn't really matter - final amount as declared by Breeden was over 400 million dollars between those 6 years, Kelly. Difficult to believe that someone of Breeden's stature would toss around horrific numbers like that unless there was truth to them.

you're a TOTAL idiot, did you not follow this case?? The prosecutors didn't even charge Black et al with any where near that amount. Breeden is a crooked prick and this case proves it. Further 4.8% retained earnings is better than most of the mining companies in Canada. I repeat you are a TOTAL idiot!!!

Barbara in BC January 22, 2008 at 4:24 p.m.

I assume the post at 4:03 is actually from Fintan.. and accidently labelled as from Kelly.

I read the article you linked to: actually I agree with Amiel on the overprescribing of drugs to kids who just have trouble sitting still in school. My husband must have been one of the first kids prescribed Ritalin way back in about 1965 - he simply is an active person who isn't content to sit still for long. No need to make him into a passive person with drugs! (Apparently amphetimines CALM down children, working the opposite way in adults.)

But her article is really about how life deals out different cards to everyone:

"Is Ritalin giving some kids an unfair boost?" When she states that we just have to accept that "Human beings are born unequal in looks, character, concentration, intelligence, parentage — just about everything but basic human rights."

I might ask her this question: Is Plastic Surgery giving some women an unfair boost?

I bet the answer would be "YES! And I love it!"

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 4:26 p.m.

Kelly,

Acquited conduct sentencing....you are a card ! You should be a politician.

For all intents and purposes it is the same as over-turning a non guilty verdict.

Semantics.

It's purpose is to add years to a sentence based on the liklihood that the person guilty in /off 1 charge or more is therefore likely to be guilty of the ones in which he was deemed not guilty.

As I said...why bother have a trial at all.

I think you get it but are being argumentative for perhaps the sole purpose of 'hearing' your own voice.

If you do not get it....I'm sorry you are so lost. I'll try not to critisize a lack of comprehension as a character flaw.

It's tough however.

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 4:28 p.m.

No one likes a Rat January 22, 2008 at 4:23 p.m.

I won't even dignify your ignorant comment with a response other than my ackowlegement of it. Further, what makes you think I actually care what you think?...

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 4:29 p.m.

Lord help us...as I thought...Donna is also Kelly.

Check above.

Kelly posting and thanking Kelly.

The post was supposed to be from Sandy to Kelly .

Helter skelter.

Donna...do you feel all grown up when you can pat yourself on all 15 of your backs ?

What a kid !

Barbara in BC January 22, 2008 at 4:32 p.m.

wave99: read carefuller, that post from Kelly a little while back was actually from Fintan TO Kelly. It's a simple mistake.

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 4:34 p.m.

BBC.

I hold out that Donna is Kelly, though you might be correct,it could be Fintan.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 4:40 p.m.

Well done, Sandy and Kelly, you've managed to get "No one likes a Rat's" goat so much that it is snarling like a goaded bear. Same arguments as Lit and co, but a few notches up the nastiness scale.

As any fool knows, the prosecutors only concentrated on the siphoning off of funds that they knew they had a good shot at proving, beyond a reasonable doubt, had been criminally perpetrated. They knew once they had him on those "sample charges" as they say in British courts, or even some of them, that civil litigation would get him for the rest. As it will, and probably Morticia as well.

The fun is only just beginning.

If Breeden is a "crooked prick", why is he a free man with no need to look over his shoulder?

It's true that no one likes a rat, but who likes a pompous limp dick ponce who thinks he's God's gift to the human race and in reality is a crooked, lying, cheating swindler and a coward through and through?

Radler may not be a nice person, but he knew when the jig was up and how to cut his losses. The alternative would have been to brazen and bluster and try to bluff like His Lardship - and end up in the slammer for nearly as long (allowing for the fact that he did not stupidly throw away his Canadian citizenship and would have gotten a better deal on the early parole side).

Give me an intelligent rat any day before a stupid hubris-laden crook.

Kelly January 22, 2008 at 4:42 p.m.

No problem Fintan (His Lardship and Morticia was a good identifier, lol). It will be interesting to see which way she rules considering her reported fast track to SCOTUS. I will not be thrilled if she grants it for reasons I will mention at a later time (to do with another white collar case).

*****

I've no problem believing the figures from a former SEC chairman, Sandy - just saying that they're stunning that's all. Also, the auditor's signoff must be just about worthless in my opinion.

Fintan January 22, 2008 at 4:43 p.m.

Barbara in BC January 22, 2008 at 4:32 p.m.

wave99: read carefuller, that post from Kelly a little while back was actually from Fintan TO Kelly. It's a simple mistake.

Quite correct, thanks Barbara in BC. My error and apologies to everyone, especially Kelly. It's quite late and time for me to lay my weary head down.

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 4:46 p.m.

Give me an intelligent rat any day before a stupid hubris-laden crook. - Fintan

Right on!

jade_lee January 22, 2008 at 4:48 p.m.

Is there one person who comes to this blog on a regular basis not guilty of posting under a different name?
I have.

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 4:52 p.m.

Sandy.

Completely agree...oddly enough, with your 4:46 pm post.

But you miss one important point.

The Rat as you call him...is a crook as well.

Over-looking that so tiresome little inconsequential point to pile on your hatred for Black, gives away your mindset.

You are capable of ignorance.

You are incapable of very simple logic.

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 4:53 p.m.

Jade.

I've posted under many.

I have everytime made it known when I posted using another name.

Spellchecker January 22, 2008 at 5:50 p.m.

The Rat as you call him...is a crook as well. - wave / lit

A FORMER crook who confessed to his crimes, made restitution and will serve his time. Then he will have learned his lesson and go straight - with plenty of money.

Not a crook who refuses to admit his guilt, i.e. persists in lying and would continue along the same old track if he could. He will end up broke.

The above is very simple logic.

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 6:06 p.m.

Spellchecker...the point is Donna, Sandy, Kelly etc, call Black as many possible adjectives as they can muster to ensure we all know he is a convicted felon.

And the source of virtue, intelligence and most importantly their comprison is drawn, in an absolutely twisted sense of logic, from none other than Radler, a convicted felon.

And of the same acts !

What's clear is that they don't value what they call theivery equally. Guess it depends on who does it.

As in, anything they have done wrong in their personal lives is not as meaningful as that comperable act which YOU do wrong.

Careful who your friends are Spellchecker. With this group, you can count on being hit hard, by surprise, when it's within their needs.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 6:22 p.m.

BLACK TOOK OUT THE HOLLINGER CHECKBOOK AND WROTE A CHARITABLE DONATION TO SOME INSTITUTION, MAKING CAREFUL NOTE THAT IT WAS IN THE NAME OF "Conrad Black." Hollinger got a tax break out of it, Black took all the credit. Just like Amiel giving the doorman a tip--out of Hollinger funds! Shareholders paid for Black's and Amiel's private living expenses, including perfume, chewing gum and lingerie! They were freeloaders feathering their own nests! Recall that David Radler gave his alma mater at Queen's an endowment, which was returned by the university. So, if Black gave away millions, we shall see when the return to sender cheques start rolling back to Hollinger. There is a plaque outside the Hospital for Sick Children on University Ave TO advertising a donation from "The Black Family." Probably ought to have read "Hollinger Shareholder donation." Black was more likely to steal money from charities than donate to any from his own pocket! Indeed, one wonders whether anyone has audited the charities Black was involved with over the years? someone who would try to sell stolen exams to fellow students for a profit is not someone I would trust with any public money!

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 7:03 p.m.

IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO CALL DAVID RADLER A "rat"? This is unacceptable. Radler is indeed a convicted thief and con artist. He admitted to his crimes. He has tried to pay compensation, fines, penalties and spared the public the expense of proving his guilt. He has shown contrition. He has helped to prove the case against his fellow conspirators. Unlike Black, Radler stood up in court and testified and was subjected to vigorous cross-examination. Black was too scared and cowardly to testify. Black spoke everywhere, ad nauseam, except when it mattered most. Black told Judge St Yves that he exercised his right to remain silent.

Radler is well on his way to rebuilding his business and getting out of the public eye and sparing the public further fuss and bother over him. Radler, his spouse and family have not made spectacles of themselves and belittled fellow citizens. Radler is a hardworking, highly intelligent and effective, successful businessperson. Radler recognized Amiel for what she is.

That Radler is a scoundrel and has a deplorable record is clear. He abused employees, acted in a callous and vicious manner. That he is a thief and fraud, is something he has admitted. But if Radler is a "rat", what does that make Black? Calling people "rats" was common in vicious nazi propaganda magazines of the 1930s. Unlike Orwell's Animal Farm or Spiegelman's Maus, the nazi intent was to dehumanize and take away the humanity of people.

Furthermore, there is nothing honourable amongst thieves. Staying quiet is not a virtue! Quite the contrary. The criminal code and injunctions to refrain from being a "rat", a "stool pidgeon", "to not sing like a canary", to not "snitch", to maintain "honour amongst thieves", is the stuff of a culture of criminality, not something that those who believe in the rule of law ought to promote or lend succor and support to! It is the measure of Blackguard corruption!

Sandy January 22, 2008 at 7:14 p.m.

ROGER January 22, 2008 at 7:03 p.m.

I agree 100%, Roger. Great post! And welcome back.

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 7:27 p.m.

Alot of words...in Roger's posts.

But I'll sum up.

Radler conviced felon related to Hollinger. Great guy.

Black convicted felon related to Hollinger. Bad guy.

Radler admits guilt.

Black states he is not guilty.

Radler had the jurisdiction managed in which crimes prevailed, ie: US.

Black did not.

Board approves plan arrived at by Radler and Black.

The end.

wave99 January 22, 2008 at 7:31 p.m.

Despite not agreeing with much Finnish, I will state that Sir Fintan carried the anti's on his healthy shoulder while Roger was away.

I think the resurrection of Roger will go along way in distracing us pro justice types from continuing to just make an absolute mess of the remaining , redundent anti's.

Good job Fintan. Not bad for an old man.

ValC January 22, 2008 at 7:52 p.m.

I'm not sure whether to be pleased or offended to read that Leaf thinks I am Finton. While I have enjoyed reading many of his posts, I am not Fintan. I am a long-time reader of this blog and have decided to start posting. I think Black is a crook and I think he belongs in jail. But I am horrified at the idea of rape. i would never advocate that, even as a joke. Leaf, do you think you can figure out the difference between me and Fintan? Do you think you can figure out that I am an entirely different person from Fintan?

leaf January 22, 2008 at 10:03 p.m.

ValC January 22, 2008 at 7:52 p.m.

I'm not sure whether to be pleased or offended to read that Leaf thinks I am Finton.

-----

Being a long time reader of this blog, I suppose you know how I feel about fickton, so technically speaking, you should be offended, no 2 ways about it.
However…

“Leaf, do you think you can figure out the difference between me and Fintan? Do you think you can figure out that I am an entirely different person from Fintan?”

Yes, now I can Val.

A little sincerity goes a long way with me and your post is obviously genuine.
My apology for having confused you with fickton.
His habit of posting under a variety of aliases brings about this kind of equivocal situation but nothing that can’t be fixed, as proven by your sensible post.

welcome to the blog, whichever way you spin.

Jeanne January 22, 2008 at 10:32 p.m.

I post only under this name, Jeanne, and no one, so far, has false