Yossi Gestetner » Uncategorized

BP CEO Did a Fine Job

Yossi Gestetner — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:26:00 +0000

I am not being sarcastic: the ousted BP CEO Tony Heyward, which will serve until the end of September, did do a good job during this spill crisis – in the context of a CEO’s responsibility.

A CEO of a multinational firm with dozens of drilling operations, hundreds of exploration projects, thousands of workers, millions of shares on world markets, and billions of dollars in cash and assets around half the world, CANNOT have knowledge or control on all aspects of a deepwater disaster.

This of course is something that lazy bums in the media and big mouths on Capital Hill – who never held or studied a CEO job – don’t ‘get.’ And indeed, Heyward’s gaffes, which were few and minor to the gaffes of Obama and Biden, did certainly not help either. But all in all, a CEO of such a large firm can’t let go and forget of the rest of the firm just to be busy with one disaster, regardless how big it is or regardless what people in Congress have to say.

Finally, I don’t ‘get’ why people were madethat Tony enjoyed his Yacht outing a day after everyone applauded the fact that he was relieved of his oil spill duties. Why should Tony NOT be out on the yacht, if the oil spill ain’t his issue anymore?

In an Obama-era of blame, blame, and blame, this is the rethoric that you will get. I only wonder for how many months the new BP CEO will say that he “inherited this mess” and therefore things will get worse by each passing month…

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Put Ice in Your Cell Phone

Yossi Gestetner — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 04:04:51 +0000

Christopher St. Lawrence (D), Supervisor of the Town Of Ramapo, in Rockland County NY, has recently published a letter asking all residence to enter an I.C.E., In Case of Emergency contact in their self phones. The gain? In case of emergency, say someone is found passed out, the arriving emergency personal should know where to call. They will flip open the person’s handheld device, search the Contact Section for ICE and dial the first or any other number posted to be reached In Case of Emergency.

This idea is probably not new, but I saw it first only recently. I think it is cool, depsite the “privecy issues” that some of my Conservative friends may have with this…

Just as note: while the ICE number is likely a person that is already saved in your phone, you still have the option of saving the number again under a new name. It works with my junk phone. It should work with your’s too.

BP Should Fight the Government on Costs

Yossi Gestetner — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 06:08:41 +0000

I know it is in style to gang up on BP for the oil spill, but let me get straight to it: The United States Coast Guard (USCG), according to regulation, plan and/or law, is responsible to contain and clean up oil spills that affect the US waters, in addition that the ultimate command of all cleanup operations rests with the USCG.

Last August, seven months after Bush left office, the Coast Guard revised its reaction plans, which lawmakers – who should have oversight BEFORE A DISASTER – on the USCG, had no problem with the revised plans during the June 16 testimony of the five executives of large energy companies whose reaction plans were attacked as flawed and insufficient.

Beyond the responsibility that BP has for plugging the damn hole and some damage that has accrued since then, it should be the Federal Government, who’s Coast Guard has failed in its task, that should pay for the clean-up of the coasts, lost fisherman’s work, and all other dirt that comes with this mess.

If BP, according to law and regulation, were the sole, top responsible and authorized power in the Gulf, then hands down Obama should suck’em dry. The fact however is, that the USCG has top control of how things go or don’t go there. Therefore, BP should NOT let Obama have $20 billion as a down payment. Instead BP should fight back with legal and PR means by pointing how moves and inaction of the Coast Guard permitted more oil to reach deeper into shorelines, and theretofore the Federal Government should take responsibility of at least half the clean-up cost. (Besides this point, let’s not forget that STUPID government policies sent the oil firms fifty miles out, thousands of feet deep to get oil, where it is difficult to stop spills. Therefore, the government should have more than a mere 50-50 liability to cleanup – and pay for – this mess).

If BP will without a challenge continue giving into Obama’s and the Dems’ demands such as the $20 billion account and the additional $100 million for workers who don’t have work due to Obama’s moratorium, the firm will ‘VERY likely’, as I tweeted on June 14, collapse/go into bankruptcy, because as far some on the left are concerned, $20 billion is just a down payment. If this approach goes unchallenged, BP will sink into the oily ocean.

This article was posted a few days ago at American Thinker Blog

Almost 70% Hispanics Vote Dem!

Yossi Gestetner — Thu, 13 May 2010 23:20:42 +0000

Some point out that it is “no surprise” that 70% Hispanics in a new WSJ poll are against the Arizona Immigration Laws. To some, the “no surprise” is that the Law will likely effect mostly Hispanics, and therefore they oppose it.

But, no. The No Surprise of the Poll results is due to the fact Hispanics vote for the Dems BIG time even when the pro-leftist-reform McCain was runing.

Here’s how the Hispanic vote went recently:

67% Voted for Obama in 2008 (only 32% voted for McCain).

69% Voted for the Democrats in 2006 congressional elections.

55% Voted for Kerry in 2004

65% Voted for Gore in 2000

So… the 70% opposition is just a matter of Party Line.

Note: is it not racist to take a poll based on racial lines regarding a “racist” law? Am just asking…

Injustice and Persecution Against a Non-Unionized Businessman

Yossi Gestetner — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 05:13:44 +0000

Some people in the U.S. remember the raid by federal agents that took place in May of 2008 on the Agriprocessors meat plant in Iowa, but few know the gross injustice and persecution that went on from day one, and still continues today.

The raid took place due to two sins of Agriprocessors: 1) Almost 400 of the plant’s 700 non-unionized employees were allegedly illegal aliens. Although a lot of them pleaded guilty later, charges of wrong-doing on the part of the Agri bosses were later dropped because there was no proof that the firm hired the workers knowing that they were here illegally. In fact, a federal agent who tried getting a job there while providing visibly fraudulent papers was turned down twice. Only when that agent returned with the real thing, he was accepted to work there. In addition, Agriprocessors paid payroll taxes on all employees working there – funds that I doubt will be returned to the company by the government despite learning that alot workers were illegal. In other words: The federal government is having the cake and eating it at the same time. Just like that.

The firm was levied heavy fines for failing to pay workers and file other paperwork for a six-week period AFTER the federal raid took place, which essentially crippled the firm to its bone. The Feds also made noise about 32 underage people working at the plants – you know, a thing that never happens in America, i.e. underage people working to earn some pocket money. Despite dropping the immigration charges, prosecutors used immigration issues to convince a jury to convict the company’s leaders, or for what I call the second sin.

Sholom Rubashkin, a Vice President at the plant, inflated the firm’s receivables to get a larger line of credit from a local bank. The bank earned millions in interests during the life of the line of credit. However, only after the Feds seized the assets of Agriprocessors and forced the firm into bankruptcy, the bank lost $26 million of unpaid debt, which federal prosecutors conveniently use as a “$26 million bank fraud” talking point to chastise Rubashkin and to have him sit behind bars for a life sentence.

This is not even half the story.

A main player in this case from the get-go was Stephanie Rose who during the May 2008 raid was a lead assistant in the US Attorney’s Northern Iowa office. In 2009, Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) recommended to President Obama that Rose be nominated as US attorney. Her nomination was criticized by some on the Left as a result of her harsh treatment of immigrants during the raid. Regardless, she won Senate confirmation to be U.S. Attorney.

At any rate, prosecutors requested a very high bail for Rubashkin, and then for a while didn’t want bail altogether, claiming that since he is a Jew, he is a flight risk to Israel. The Feds dramatized that $20,000 (or whatever big amount of) cash was found in the safe next to his family’s passports. Of course, neither prosecutors nor Judge Linda Reade (Nominated by GWB in 2002 on the recommendation of Senator Chuck Grassley, R- Iowa), reckoned with the fact that $20,000 in a safe for a wealthy businessman is like $250 for a regular person, and in no way was it a plan to escape. Besides, seizing Rubashkin’s passport and placing an ankle-bracelet on him could have eliminated the flight risk. But this didn’t – for a while – calm the Judge and prosecutor.

After being behind bars well before the court date, and after being found guilty five months ago on 86 counts of bank fraud chargers, the Judge ordered Rubashkin (currently represented by Nat Lewin) to stay behind bars until sentencing, which is dated for April 28, 2010. Worse, due to being hit repeatedly by a cell-mate in the Linn County Correctional Facility, the judge ordered Rubashkin into solitary confinement “for his own protection.” For weeks now, he is held there for 23-plus hours a day, without getting a haircut or a warm Kosher meal in the last few months! But of course, releasing him to his home and family “for his own protection” until sentencing date is – according to the Judge – not an option…

According to those involved in the case, some of the overzealousness and injustice of the prosecutor and Judge, also include the following:

The Feds carried out the headline-grabbing, yet destructive raid, which destroyed 1) the business; 2) the local economy; 3) and the bank that lost money, DESPITE the fact that Robert W. Kent, Esq., of Baker & McKenzie, offered to work this out peacefully with the U.S. Attorney’s office, as prosecutors often do before they rain down indictments on people.

The counts against Rubashkin were multiplied to make him come across as a mean-spirited, self-serving crook. Prosecutors went so far as charging him with a law of the Stockyards Act of 1921 that no other meatpacker (in recent history) was charged with.

Despite the fact that defendants in similar cases in recent years were not even charged, (such as at Swift & Co); were given probation, (such as at Action Rags, and Mr. Zhu of Miyako Sushi); or received a prison term of one year, (such as Francesco Insolia of Michael Bianco), prosecutors here are recommending a 25-plus year/life sentence for Rubashkin.

The list of wrongdoings goes on, including using wobbling witnesses to convict Rubashkin, and relying on writings from racist groups to propel negativity against Rubashkin. All in all, it does not make sense that a large employer was driven out of business from an area which was essentially dead before the business expanded, all for doing something that most Americans do: inflate income to gain access to credit for a business, money which Agriprocessors always paid up, until the Feds destroyed the business. While no one is saying that such a thing is Kosher, everyone can agree that serving a year in prison, and/or some money penalty with a short house arrest, makes more sense than the current route taken by a country that has The Best Justice System in the World.

More than 25,000 concerned citizens have already signed the petition that will be sent to the prosecutor asking her to reconsider her position on the sentencing. It is hopeful that the media, pro-business groups, civil rights organizations, and Congressional Judiciary Committees will all review this case in more detail, and demand that the prosecutor and Judge be held accountable for their demeanor in all of this, and that Senators Harkin and Grassley should be asked if they support or oppose the Judicial abuse that is being carried out by people that they, the Senators, recommended to serve at those current posts.

Unchecked abuse of judicial power is destructive to America’s values, businesses and people, and cannot be allowed to continue the current way.

The “Harassing” of the Parks Family

Yossi Gestetner — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:39:45 +0000

After Martin Grossman’s death sentence was carried out, a press conference was held by the Park family. Ms. Betsy Park, the sister of Peggy Park, the Wildlife officer killed by Grossman, said as follows: “we were harassed over the past week, and I think it is reprehensible for any cause.” I didn’t hear directly from Park that she meant harassment from Jewish groups. However, some news agencies implied, and others said explicitly, that the harassment came from Jews.

I would like to set the record straight here:

No leader of the Orthodox Jewish community, and nor anyone working on their behalf, did any type of harassment to the Park family. I cannot take responsibility if some renegades within the Jewish community did things on their own that irked the Park family. (I am not even aware that such things took place.)

The only “harassment” that came from the Jewish community was an offer to bring closure to the Park family in form of memorializing the dedicated work of Peggy Park, by laying the groundwork for a Foundation that would help the families of Law Enforcement officers who die in the line of duty. In exchange for this foundation – that would have gotten a six-digit figure to get off the ground – the Parks family would agree to inform Governor Crist that from their end, they are not seeking the death penalty at the current time.

Considering that the effort to gain a 60-day stay of execution for Grossman was running against the clock, extraordinary efforts were put in motion to get in-touch with the Park family. After ongoing debates, the family’s final and unequivocal decision was that they will try getting closure via the execution of Grossman, which was fully within their right. The working group had hoped for a different outcome, but following the carrying-out of the Grossman sentence, the group didn’t question the judgment of the Park family.

More details about this and other aspect of the Grossman Story will God-willing follow in a forthcoming article that is being put together for Yiddish and English publication. Stay tuned.

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Thank You, Mr. Crist! Thank You!

Yossi Gestetner — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:51:08 +0000

All of us across the United States need to thank Florida Governor Crist for standing up for justice, by signing the death warrant of Martin Grossman, whose sentence was carried out Feb 16, 2010.

By letting the Grossman execution to go forward without a 60-day stay, Crist sent a clear message to Floridian orphans who are under the legal drinking age, with low IQ’s, on prescription/street drugs, who are under the influence of slick/wild friends, that taking an innocent life without any advance plan, especially the life of a Law Enforcement official, is no child’s play. We are confident that those people under such circumstance who get caught in the moment, will stop what they are doing, and say to themselves ‘hold it, hold it, hold it. Grossman was killed; I don’t wanna share his fate.’ As a result, these youngsters, on drugs, with mental limitations, and with low IQ’s, will refrain from committing an on-the-moment killing.

Good job, Charlie.

In addition, we have to thank Mr. Crist for sending this message to wild youngsters: If you are involved in crimes, you just need to blame everything on your fellow friend, especially if that friend has limited mental/legal defense abilities. And then of course, if you commit suicide 11 years later, out of guilt that you testified against/framed the mentally-challenged friend, then no bad feelings there either. Better yet, 15 years after the suicide, the Governor of your state will not even mention your name while giving to the public so-called details of the crime.

Thanks again Mr. Crist for keeping the Justice System intact. Where/how can I contribute money for your Senate campaign?

Grossman’s Final Moments and the Lies of Crist

Yossi Gestetner — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:44:48 +0000

Following were the final moments of Martin Grossman, as reported to me by Gretl Plessinger, Communications Director atthe Flarida State Prison, located Raiford, FL.

Feb 16, 2010 EST:

6.00 PM: Curtain Opened.

6.02 PM: Grossman said as follows: “I would like to extend my heartfelt remorse to the victim’s family. I fully regret everything that occurred that night, and for everything that was done, weather I remember everything or not. I accept responsibility. I would like to say a prayer Shma Israel…” (He said the full passage)

6.07: Grossman was rendered unconscious from first type drug..

6.08: Warden gave signal to administer a drug that paralyzes the body.

6.??: a drug that stops the heart was injected.

6.16: A physician went into the room to check Grossman.

6.17: Grossman pronounced dead.

* * *

I would like to point-out that the automated reply e-mail that FL Gov. Crist sent Feb 16, writing the gruesome details of how Ms. Parks died and what was done to ditch evidence, is misleading at best, and pure defamation and flat-out lies at worst.

The Governor omits ANY mention of the words Thayne Taylor the person with whom Grossman spent that evening in the woods. Taylor by the least helped Grossman commit the acts that Crist writes about, or perhaps more accurately: Taylor led in action, and Grossman followed.

It sure was an easy move for prosecutors to recommend a low prison term for Taylor in exchange for incriminating Grossman on all acts, regardless what really took place between Taylor, Grossman and Parks. It is however an unheard and precedent less CHUTZPA for Crist to produce the smear he did, knowing/thinking that Grossman does not have much of a family that will stand-up to defend his name.

I am NOT defending the acts of Grossman. However, his misdeeds do NOT give a free pass for Crist to write what he wants about this case.

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10 Reasons Why Martin Grossman Should Get Clemency

Yossi Gestetner — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:18:13 +0000

Following are Fact-Points regarding Martin Grossman – Why he should get Clemency instead of being executed on Feb 16, 2010 6:00 PM EST, for a crime he committed approximately 25 years ago, while intoxicated at age 19.

1) At age 15, Martin’s father passed away. Martin was the one needed to take care for his challenged Mom, rather than the other way around. In addition, Martin had little family around him. Result? A youngster who was ripe to get into trouble roamed the streets of Florida.

2) When Martin killed the 26-year-old Wildlife officer in the woods, he was under the influence of contraband drugs and/or he drank alcohol shortly after taking medicine for his mental challenges. Either way, he was NOT in a state of stable-mind to control everything he did or shouldn’t do at that time.

3) In addition to point two, Martin has an IQ of 77.

4) Martin did NOT shoot the officer in cold blood. Instead, because he was on probation, he pleaded with her that she not arrests him. She went on trying to arrest him. Things got out of hand, which took the life of Ms. Parks.

5) Some people wonder, if Martin was not in a stable state of mind, in addition to having a low IQ, how did he know that Ms. Parks may cost him trouble? Well, small-minded and deranged people understand that walking off a roof-top isn’t exactly a good idea. Sensing danger is what Under Influence people detect.

6) It appears criminal that Martin was on probation, however be aware of the fact that his crime was a stupid burglary, committed when he was age seventeen, a Juvenile without parents.

7) The MAIN reason prosecutors treated the Martin/Parks case as a first degree murder and in-turn requested the ultimate penalty, is due to Martin’s probation. As a result, prosecutors were able to claim that the Parks killing took place during a crime in progress. However, as indicated above, the “crime in progress” was Martin’s violating probation for a burglary he committed as a juvenile… (No one is advocating that burglary is not a crime. However, we would not want that a person should lose their life based on a burglary either…)

) Martin did NOT have proper legal nor biological (family) representation at the time, thus permitting the prosecutors to have a free ride with this case.

9) The crime was done 25 years ago. While time does not take away the fact that the Parks family had pain all those years, executing Grossman at the scheduled time will not serve justice, considering that the calm, well-behaving, staying-away-from-trouble, repentant, grown-man, at age 44 in 2010 who never had a chance of a normal lovable life, is NOT the same person as the lost, 19 year-old, orphan who turned to alcohol and/or drugs to forget of his pains. The death penalty by NO MEANS is intended for such circumstances!

10) Justice waited more than 9,125 days (25-plus years) to finally get its day. Therefore, can justice wait maybe just another 60-90 more days to give those caring for Martin a chance to explore all legal avenues availble?

We all ask and plea that YES should be the answer.

Btw, read here the e-mail I sent January 25 to the Governor.

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The Topics Page

Yossi Gestetner — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:05:40 +0000

Checkout the TOPICS PAGE by clicking here, here, or here.

Ok, it’s all the same thing…

At any rate, in recent days, I updated/added topics, ranging from DADT and Immigration, to Life, Marriage and Term Limits. Checkout the page here, here, or here, and – if you like it – please get others to read it too.

Enjoy!

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My Letter to Gov. Charlie Crist

Yossi Gestetner — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:05:19 +0000

Following the news that a Jewish inmate is to be executed In Florida on Feb. 16 due to killing 25 years ago a wildlife office, while the inmate was age nineteen, on parole for burglary and under the influence of drugs, I sent the following e-mail to Charlie Crist, the Governor of FL.

Hello Mr. Governor,

I would like to address the issue of Martin Grossman, who is on death row in your state and scheduled to be executed on Feb. 16.

I am a Jewish Republican who is actually in favor of Capital Punishment, but only if it is proven beyond any doubt that the criminal committed a crime which warrants such a punishment. In the case of Grossman, I doubt highly that he fits this mold.

No, I am not making excuses for Grossman. And no, I am not saying that one can overstate the pain that was brought to the family of the 26 year-old wildlife officer who was shot by Grossman. However, considering that Grossman didn’t’t go out there as a gangster to kill people; considering that Grossman was under the influence of drugs while committing the crime; and considering that had he not been on parole at that time, the approach by prosecutors may have been different altogether, I ask that you reconsider if the death penalty is really warranted in this situation.

Thank you for reading my email,

Yossi Gestetner

www.yossigestetner.com

Check-Out my Added Page

Yossi Gestetner — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:00:09 +0000

Fellow readers and followers:

I added last night a new page on my site called “TOPICS.” On the page, I write in short my thoughts and opinions on all topics that are relevant in American life, culture and politics.

Since the page is still new, I have yet to write about a lot issues. However, God-willing, I will over-time write about more topics. Check-out the page and enjoy it.

p.s. Dont forget to sign up (on the right-hand side) to get my posts into your inbox. Only an e-mail address is needed.