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Rather’s Standards

Scott Marks makes three mistakes in the same sentence while reviewing the film Truth. He says that Rather was forced to step down from the anchor chair “over allegations that a story he broadcast concerning George W. Bush’s Vietnam-era service in the National Guard was false.”

There are two mistakes in just that section I quoted. First, the problem wasn’t that the story was wrong, it was that the evidence he presented to back up his assertion was fraudulent. He may have been right about the charge, but he couldn’t prove it. Second, the grounds

for his dismissal weren’t based on “allegations,” they were based on clear evidence that this document was cooked up.

Marks’s third mistake is in calling the execs at Viacom “cowardly shits” for pushing him out the door. There was nothing cowardly about their arranging for an independent investigation to look into the incident in order to make its own conclusion, which was that Rather and his producer had screwed up badly. CBS did what it had to do when its chief journalist aired a serious and potentially re-election bid-crushing charge against a sitting president backed mostly by a bogus document.

There’s no modern U.S. president I have less respect for than GWB, and there’s no TV journalist I respected more than Rather before this happened. But facts are facts, and Rather couldn’t prove the one he thought could take down a president. I think it’s a pity that he insists to this day he was right, even though he still can’t prove it. It’s a shame Marks can’t keep his facts straight, either. Then again, I don’t hold him to Rather’s standards.

• Thatwood B. Telling
• San Carlos

Sgt. Kolender in the '60s

San Diego Police Museum photo

Defaming the Dead

Congratulations on defaming not only Bill Kolender (“The Union-Tribune’s Favorite Cop,” but also a whole bunch of other dead people who can’t respond.

If Kolender was so crooked and so corrupt, how did he get elected sheriff five times during a period when the Union-Tribune was steadily losing readership and political influence?

• Bill Bradshaw
• via voicemail

Learn from My Mistakes

I would like to thank Don Bauder for finally exposing the massive financial fraud by Lawrence Freeman of Encinitas (City Lights, October 22, “Lawrence Freeman Ordered to Desist and Refrain”). I was one of his victims, as well as a victim of the system. None of the federal, state, or local enforcement agencies I have reported this to has bothered to investigate Freeman for his possible crimes.

For those interested in how a criminal mind communicates with his victims, go to Freeman’s website at noteupdate.com (user I.D. is Note and password is Holder). It will require a double log-in in order to view Freeman’s attempts to pay back his victims. This website has been maintained for over seven years as he maintains he has not defaulted on his financial fraud because he is promising to pay back his victims, as detailed in his efforts.

I have not received one dime from Freeman. For a look at a deposition taken by one of his victims in Oklahoma, please see Don Bauder’s articles. I left a comment there with a link to the website that has the deposition. In the deposition he details the numerous shell companies he set up to run his financial scheme, even a bank.

Freeman even stole my retirement fund by convincing me to transfer my IRA to a company named Pensco Trust in San Francisco. Pensco allowed me to loan my money to Freeman so he could use it in his financial fraud. There are many more victims across San Diego and the country. To my understanding, only myself and Dr. Muse has filed a judgment against Freeman. [Three men] told me they were also victims of Freeman’s fraud. One wonders why they have not yet come forward and filed a judgment against Freeman.

Consumers should learn from the mistakes I made by never, ever trusting anyone with your money unless you have a lawyer by your side. If you are in a similar situation now, please report it immediately.

• Name withheld
• via email

Clicking for Gold

About the article, “Crush the Boulder into a Pile of Rubble.” At first I thought, Right on, someone found and crushed a rich vein of gold bearing quartz. (Free mill gold for those of you from Rio Linda.) But, no — the ore crusher turned out to be a violin.

Okay, next! Nothing to see here, move along.

• Adam A.
• Gold prospector dude
• San Diego

Poor Jesus

Every week I read in the Sheep and Goats column Christian ministers stating that only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior will reside in Heaven after death.

Thank goodness that I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I will be with all the atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and other kind, intelligent souls in glorious Hell, instead of sitting there in Heaven, bored out of my skull with a bunch of arrogant, know-it-all, unkind Christian ministers With you guys representing Jesus, all I can say is, poor Jesus.

• Name withheld
• via voicemail

Bet Your Bippy

Re: News Ticker, “Back at Bill Horn’s Ranch”

The conflict of interest here is so glaringly evident, in my opinion. It would probably take a few years, but I bet he would subdivide his property, or create large estates (more for the wealthy), or whatever. You can bet your bippy he will do something to make lots and lots of money, I have no doubt.

Watch out, he will probably start a “charity” to stash his money and, when he has enough, make a token donation to some worthy cause (small donation), then take his tax-free money and buy more property, etcetera. If the common person did this, we would be in jail quicker than you could bat an eye.

Enough is enough.

• Name withheld
• San Marcos