Ukraine Takes Building, Pistorius Sobs

World: Ukrainian troops re-took a government building occupied by protesters in the eastern city of Kharkiv. About 70 people were arrested. White House Press Secy. Jay Carney said yesterday that there’s strong evidence that the demonstrators who took over government buildings in several Eastern Ukraine were paid by Russia. Carney said, “If Russia moves into Eastern Ukraine either overtly or covertly this would be a serious escalation.” Russia, in turn, has accused Ukraine of employing American mercenaries and warned that the use of troops risks the outbreak of civil war.

Sports Page: March Madness finally ended in April with Connecticut beating Kentucky 60-54. It’s Connecticut’s second championship in four years.

Kentucky, with an all-freshman starting lineup, was 15 points behind in the first half and came as close as one point down, but never took the lead. After the game, 35 rowdy celebrants were arrested at the University of Connecticut.

Sob Story: Blade runner Oscar Pistorius broke down in sobs and howls today as he told the court about the night he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius said he woke up in the middle of the night frozen with fear, thinking there was a burglar in the bathroom. He said he approached the bathroom on his stumps. “I started screaming and shouting for the burglars to get out of my house.” He said, “I shouted for Reeva to get on the floor.”

Choking back his emotions, he then said, “Before I knew it, I fired four shots at the door.”

In a dramatic demonstration, Pistorius came back from a recess wearing shorts and a t-shirt as he had the night of the shooting. He then took off his prosthetic legs and walked on his stumps to show the court how vulnerable he feels.

Nation: Adversity at sea appears to be nothing for a San Diego family rescued from their crippled yacht in the Pacific, compared to the storm of criticism over taking their young children on an ocean passage. Eric and Charlotte Kaufman and their daughters 1 and 3 are on a Navy ship on the way home. The youngest child had become dangerously ill and an emergency medical team parachuted in before the family was picked up by the Navy. Their sailboat was sunk by the Navy. Some Twitticisms of the family’s adventure:

“Just because you’ve been doing something idiotic for 7 years doesn’t make it less idotic”

“Parents are negligent and should pay”

“you have black kids who can’t get basic healthcare in their neighborhood. But y ppl can get care on the edge of the Earth.”

Welcome back to civilization.

The Obit Page: Peaches Geldof, the 25-year-old wild child of concert organizer Bob Geldof, was found dead in her home in Southeast England. Police gave no cause, saying the death was “unexplained and sudden.” The partying second daughter of Geldof had been a model, television personality and fashion writer.  In 2000 when Peaches was just 11, her mother Paula Yates died of a drug overdose. Her father released a statement saying, “She was the wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us.”

Trending: Four drivers in San Francisco woke up yesterday morning to find their Smart Cars rolled over on their sides. One witness described seeing eight hoodie-wearing men pile out of a van and roll a Smart Car. This is not the first time … Smart Cars have previously been rolled and shoved into canals. It could be the new urban version of the farm boy sport of cow-tipping, except, unlike a cow, you can balance a Smart Car on its tail end.

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Thursday, May 9, 2024

Page Two

The Most Corrupt Justice

Monday, October 2, 2023

Democracy and Video in the Dark

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Page Two: Do the Right Thing

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Page Two: Sound Recall

Monday, September 13, 2021

Page Two: Cuomo Must Go

Friday, August 13, 2021

Trump and the Truth

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The “Great” President

Monday, March 30, 2020

The Wright Stuff

Saturday, February 29, 2020

It's Been Said

"In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have, no excuses."

-Andrew Cuomo, resigning as governor of New York after accusations of sexual harassment

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