DOUBLE DIPPERS
Power is twice as nice with two paychecksST. PETERSBURG TIMES
Double dipping rises despite outrage
"Until the law was changed, members of the Florida Retirement System who signed up for DROP were required to leave the state payroll at the end of five years or forfeit the lump-sum benefit.
Lawmakers wrote the loophole into the law in 2001 to help a fellow legislator who, on top of his legislative salary, wanted to collect his lump-sum retirement benefit and his school board pension. Sponsors say they never intended to extend the practice to allow elected officials to "retire'' and return to the same jobs collecting both a pension and a salary.
But lawmakers trying to fix the loophole have run into problems because many fellow lawmakers are among the double- and triple-dippers.
"It's kind of sad because DROP was never intended to help all these people making high salaries stick around,'' (Senator) Fasano said."
Elected Double Dippers and their payday$ (search may be refined for Judges on left of screen)
(Lucky Broward Judges: Grossman, Kaplan, and Moe)
SENTINEL
Murder suspect seeks freedom after prosecutors snooped on calls to lawyer
NORTH COUNTRY GAZETTE
Equal Justice—Just A Principle, Not A Practice
"Obviously Conway’s criticism of Aleman was right on target as in October, she was reprimanded by the Florida Supreme Court for a pattern of “arrogant, discourteous and impatient conduct”.
June Maxam, as usual, has nailed it with her Gazette piece. The Florida Bar, she notes here and elsewhere, leads the nation in violating the US Constitution, just as US Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas predicted it would. Where are all the named critics here at this blog of The Florida Bar? Oh, I see, you are anonymous and cowering. How sad. That's okay, I'll slay the dragon for you, to protect all of you, especially now that the Florida Supreme have rescinded their decision not to allow me to file pleadings with them. Next stop: Payback. Jack Thompson
And we wonder why the state is in such bad shape. Double dippers continue run rampant through legislative loopholes. Another option would be to vote them out before they can do it.
I'm not surprised we have three judges on the double dipping list or who they are. State Scams.
Who will protect us from you then?
BTW, Jack, revenge is a mortal sin...
John B. Thompson, J.D.
5721 Riviera Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
305-666-4366
amendmentone@comcast.net
December 29, 2008
Strauss Zelnick, Chairman
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.
New York, New York Via e-mail (Ms. Feist)
Dear Strauss:
I hope this missive finds you and your family well. As you will recall, when we met in New York for a couple of hours on May 15, 2007, I mentioned to you that unless Take-Two cleaned up its corporate act (stopped marketing and selling its Mature-rated games to minors), there would be a wicked price to pay.
Since then Take-Two’s stock has gone from $26 to $7+ per share. I think God has put the world together in such a way that your company’s wrongdoing has made this fiscal reckoning unavoidable. Scripture says so.
At this time of new beginnings in the calendar year, I would strongly urge you, once again, to take the simple steps necessary to stop the marketing and sale of your company’s Mature games to kids. As you know, you sell them directly to kids with no age verification at Take-Two’s Rockstar site. You refuse to tell retail vendors that if you catch them selling your Mature games to kids then you will withhold product. All of this was both do-able and smart, but you have refused, despite my urgings.
I have been your company’s and its shareholders’ best friend in all this since I appeared on 60 Minutes in the spring of 2005, but you chose to characterize me as your company’s enemy, pledging to destroy me, and now the piper is being paid. God is not amused.
The harm you and your agents have done to me is predictable, as Jesus told his disciples: “The world hates you because it first hated me.” I’ll be fine, as God promises that “All things work to the good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.” I am called, are you? Jesus says, “I knock on the door, and anyone who answers, I will come in.” Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, calls you even now.
Please repent of your company’s sins. God will reward both it and you.
Shalom, Jack Thompson
Copy: GamePolitics, whose queries this morning prompted this open letter
@Jack "Slept Through Law School" Thompson:
Here's how it generally works, Jack-O:
Court X issues an order prohibiting act Y. If and when Court X decides to reverse itself and rescind the effect of this order, they issue another order so stating. I've searched the Supreme Court high and low (in every courtroom, in every chamber, the restrooms and the broom closets, and 'round back by the dumpsters) and I can't find an order which rescind their order sanctioning you with the requirement that your filings be signed by a Florida-barred attorney in good standing. Unless you've searched with better luck than I and have managed to find an order rescinding their prior decision, you should assume that they haven't rescinded their decision.
P.S.: You and June Maxam make such a cute couple.
@Jack Thompson, who asked Zelnick:
"I am called, are you?"
I dunno 'bout Strauss, but you are called by everyone I know "a raging lunatic."
Call me crazy, but didn't you sign a settlement agreement with Take-Two, which prohibited you from doing what you are doing right now???
In the settlement, filed with Federal District Court Judge Cecilia Altonaga, Thompson has agreed that he:
1.) will not sue or threaten to sue to block sale or distribution of any game published by Take Two or its subsidiaries (i.e., Rockstar).
2.) will not communicate to Take Two or anyone doing business with T2 (like, say Wal-Mart) any accusation that the company committed any wrongdoing by selling its games. Thompson is not restricted from criticizing the content of T2 games, nor is he prevented from acting as counsel in lawsuits brought against Take Two by other parties
3.) will make any future contacts with T2 through its attorneys
http://www.gamepolitics.com/images/legal/FL-T2-JT-settlement.pdf
@turnip:
Sho 'nuff. But as long as Strauss Zelnick sits there and fails to enforce the terms of that Agreement, Jack's gonna keep on doing what he's doing. It won't stop due to any sense of moral obligation on Jack's part to abide by the terms. Jack's got no morals.
Maybe someone should send a friendly email to his attorneys informing them that JT is not complying with the conditions of his settlement agreement
Mr. Thompson, many of us have made ourselves public to you. You just do nothing. And that makes you the coward here. You're like an elementary school bully, picking on people smaller than you, and once more than two people stand up to you, you run into the distance calling for mommy.
Mr. Thompson, manufacturers cannot and do not monitor retailers. It's the responsibility of the retailer to direct who they sell to.
Maybe someone should send a series of friendly emails to JT's family and extended family, with the best snippits of his online douchebaggery.
Sortableturnip:
This is an "open letter", not sent directly to Strauss but through Ms. Feist via email.
Incidently, this is the same old bullshit he's been ranting and raving about for years. But hey, maybe lying about this loud enough and long enough will eventually make it true! ...not really.
"The Take Two website verifies age in two ways. First, consumers who purchase M or RP rated games certify that they are at least 17 years of age. Numerous websites use the same method for verifying age in connection with sales of movies and games. Second, we verify age through the use of a credit card number in connection with a transaction. Such transaction based verification is acceptable to both credit card companies and the FTC (see, e.g. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/coppa.shtm)."
@Mnementh2230:
That someone in Jack's immediate family, like his wife, hasn't long ago forced Jack to seek the psychiatric help he so desperately needs, leads me to conclude . . . actually, I'm at complete loss as to what that failure means.
@JDKJ
The only conclusion I can make is that they don't KNOW what he turns in to online.
10:32 AM Anonymous:
I'm unsure if your post to turnip was intended to take the position that Nutcase's open letter isn't in violation of the Agreement's terms, but it's my position that by communicating to Take Two the accusation that the company is committing wrongs by selling its games (e.g., "you sell them directly to kids with no age verification"), he most certainly is violating the Agreement's terms.
@Mnementh2230:
The accusation that Jack's level is more than a bit off plumb has been publicly leveled from various credible quarters since the early 1980s. If it hasn't yet dawned on Patricia Thompson that her husband needs to be checked into Baptist Memorial's psychiatric ward for an extended stay, it probably never will.
Aw, look Jack Thompson is pretending to be God's right hand man again. You Christians are all the same: self-absorbed hypocritical scumbags. You speak for God as much as suicide bombers speak for Allah (same God).
After all your impotent, empty threats over the years, why should anyone take you seriously? The saddest thing is that you are totally unable to realize how pathetic you look. You were disbarred and your career is in shambles- just like your reputation. Furthermore, you were officially found to be a liar in a court of law (guilty of 27 of 31 misconduct charges). Too bad your Narcissistic Personality Disorder will never allow you to realize the truth.
- You said you would destroy Take Two years ago.
- You said you were filing a RICO suit against the ESA this past summer.
- You said that the Florida Bar would look like a bombed-out building (figuratively speaking).
- You said you would never be disbarred.
- You said your anti-games laws would be "Constitutionally bulletproof".
- You said that you would shut down GamePolitics, Kotaku, JAABLog, Justice Building Blog, Penny Arcade, etc.
- You claimed to be "working with authorities" in numerous criminal investigations (not once was this true)
- You claimed to be working with EA to secure their buyout of Take Two.
Shall I go on? Everything you have claimed to do NEVER HAPPENED. The fact that you continue to sit in your house, leeching off your wife, sending out useless press releases is the saddest thing I have ever seen. Grow up and get a life/job.
MOE, LEROY H.
JUDGE
2008 annual salary: $145,080
Monthly pension: $11,750
DROP payout: $716,930
KAPLAN, STANTON S.
JUDGE
2008 annual salary: $145,080
Monthly pension: $11,342
DROP payout: $552,541
GROSSMAN, MELVIN B.
JUDGE *
2008 annual salary: $145,080
Monthly pension: $8,582
DROP payout: $488,086
So John, a previous statement made by you completely contradicts what you've said in your open letter. Let us compare the two:
"Thompson, having met with Zelnick personally on May 15, 2007, concluded, after spending two hours with this fellow that Zelnick was an incompetent, reckless goofball."
Compared with your letter above I'd say you're schizo. Oh, and Jesus the Jewish Messiah? That's damn funny.
Jack-O fit the battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho,
Jack-O fit the battle of Jericho,
And the walls come tumbling down . . . right on top of Jack-O's dumb ass.
Jack. Just stop while you still can.
So does this mean that your disbarment is a result of God's anger at your actions? Or does 'Scripture' only apply to OTHER people?
Judgement day will not be kind to you. You are one of the worst kinds of sinners... ones who use God's name to justify and excuse your misdeeds.
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW MUCH JAY SPECHLER WILL RECEIVE IN PENSION BENEFITS .
He obviously has major self esteem issues. It is easy to hate him for his actions but I try not to. He is a textbook case of someone constantly acting out for attention due to low feelings of self worth. He needs to feel important, most likely due to issues he had growing up. His constant barrages at people who are successful or who have created things of value help to invalidate his own feelings of worthlessness. While he may seem to be hateful he is merely to be pitied. Think of his poor family as well. No one deserves the humiliation heaped on Thompson when the family is most likely wrestling with the concern and shame of not being able to help their troubled loved one. I feel sorry for them.
Actually, I think Strauss is a nice guy. I wish people like Jack would actually follow the rules I set forth in that Book of mine instead of using my name to fuel hatred and petty revenge.
Blessed art thou,
God
@Dr. Freud:
Your take that "the family is most likely wrestling with the concern and shame of not being able to help their troubled loved one" is completely at odds with the information collected by Dr. Oren Wunderman from Patricia Thompson as part of Wunderman's evaluation of Jack Thompson. According to Wunderman, his interview of Patricia Thompson supports his conclusion that Jack Thompson does not suffer from mental disease or defect. If things were as you suggest they are, then why wouldn't Patricia Thompson have seized the opportunity to tell Wunderman, "Yes, Oren, I know just as well as everyone else does that Jack has some serious problems, but I am at a loss as to how to help him resolve them. Can you help us?"
so bad things happening to Take2 is because of their wrongdoing. Hmmm.... I wonder what the cause of the bad things that have happened to Jacko might be then?