A Great Web site for Contemporary Furniture

If you’re looking for contemporary furniture, there’s a web site called www.modernlinefurniture.com that you need to know about. We were looking for some furniture lately, and when we saw the stuff on this site, we got jazzed – their prices are awesome, the selection is huge and if you’re looking for contemporary furniture, take a look at what they have to offer.

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Diamond Pendants Make Great Xmas Gifts for That Speical Little Lady in Your Life

If you’re thinking about a nice Christmas gift for your wife or girlfriend (or fiancée in my case), maybe you should consider diamond pendants. They make wonderful gifts, because they look very elegant and classy, but are really quite affordable. Rings, necklaces, earrings – sure, they’re all nice – but, most women have been there done that. Diamond pendants are different and will make your holiday season a gift-giving success!

Looking at a Luxury Home?

Now that the real estate market has leveled off a little, luxury homes may be more of a reality for you than ever before. A high-end luxury home like the one in this picture may be more easily attainable than you might ever imagine. You don’t have to be a rock star or a sports star to own a beautiful luxury home. A good real estate agent can help you explore the joy that a luxury home can bring you and your family.

A Big Day in SF Politics: Newsom in Office. Jew in Trouble

Yesterday was quite a day for San Francisco politics. Gavin Newsom was re-elected as mayor and former Supervisor Ed Jew was hit with five more felony charges. One man’s political career is extended, while another’s is almost certain to end in disastrous fashion. Sometimes life is so ironic that it’s well…ironic!
Everyone expected that Newsom would win – pretty much because he ran unopposed. But, the news about Ed Jew is somewhat shocking. The allegations against him are extensive and far-reaching. The fact that this man was able to do what he did is astonishing. How on earth did he ever think that he could get away with it? Extortion? Bribery? Fraud? This is serious old-school corruption -- mafia-type stuff.
And to think it all started with stores that sell those bubble/tapioca drinks. I’ve been to the Quickly location in question and I love their smoothies and teas. Little did I know that the chain would be a launching pad for corruption and payoffs. There must be a ton of money in those drinks.
This article appeared this morning on sfchronicle.com:
A federal grand jury added new felony charges Tuesday to the legal burdens of suspended San Francisco Supervisor Ed Jew, issuing a five-count indictment that accuses him of trying to shake down Sunset District businesses for $84,000 in bribes.
The federal charges - two counts each of bribery and mail fraud and one count of extortion - are the most serious yet leveled at the first-term lawmaker, who also faces civil and criminal accusations from local authorities for allegedly lying about his residence.
The indictment replaces a single count of mail fraud issued by federal prosecutors on Sept. 21. The central allegation of both sets of charges is the same: that Jew solicited $80,000 in bribes from the Quickly chain of tapioca drink shops, telling the operators that they were in violation of a city permit ordinance and would have to pay him to help with the process.
He accepted $40,000 in cash from representatives of the chain in May as partial payment, the indictment said.
"Jew would and did tout his own official power as a San Francisco supervisor to persuade business owners to enter into a paying arrangement with him and/or his recommended 'consultant,' " the grand jury said.
He was also accused of accepting $4,000 in cash from the owner of Wonderful Desserts and Cafe in April in exchange for his support of a new permit for the cafe. The payment was made three days after the City Planning Commission approved the permit, the indictment said.
"When public servants betray the people's trust for the sake of personal gain, they deeply wound the democratic principles upon which this society is founded," Charlene Thornton, special agent in charge of the FBI's San Francisco office, said in a news release announcing the indictment.
Jew's lawyer, Steven Gruel, said the supervisor denies all the allegations and will plead not guilty at an arraignment today.
"An indictment is not evidence of anything. It's nothing more than one side of the story, the side that the government has presented to the grand jury," Gruel said. "I'm anxious to finally get this case in front of a jury."
San Francisco prosecutors also have filed criminal charges against Jew in Superior Court, accusing him of nine counts of perjury and fraud for claiming a Sunset District home as his residence for voting and running for office.
In separate proceedings related to his residency, Jew was suspended from office in September by Mayor Gavin Newsom, triggering an investigation by the city's Ethics Commission into whether he should be removed from office. City Attorney Dennis Herrera has filed a civil suit seeking to oust Jew. A conviction on any of the felony charges also would be grounds to remove him.
On Tuesday, Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, a former deputy public defender, offered a resolution asking his colleagues to "adopt procedures which guarantee a fair proceeding" in the residency case. He said supervisors should refrain from making public comments about the case if the Ethics Commission agrees with Newsom that Jew committed misconduct, a finding that would leave Jew's status in the hands of the supervisors.
Gruel, who has complained about the simultaneous multiple proceedings against Jew, said Tuesday he would prefer to see the federal criminal case tried first.
Jew, the 47-year-old owner of a Chinatown flower shop, was elected to the Board of Supervisors from District 4 in the Sunset last November. Representing one of San Francisco's more conservative areas, he became a frequent dissenter in board votes and gained the nickname "Supervisor No" among City Hall staff. A former vice chairman of the County Republican Central Committee, he now is a registered Democrat.
The charges in the indictment, each punishable by federal prison sentences, are:
-- Soliciting $80,000 in bribes from the Quickly chain and accepting $40,000 in cash.
-- Soliciting and accepting $4,000 in bribes from the owner of Wonderful Cafe, who was not charged.
-- Using the U.S. mail to send documents related to both bribery schemes.
-- Extorting money from the Quickly chain "by wrongful use of fear and under color of official right."
The case surfaced publicly in May when FBI agents looking for evidence of bribery searched Jew's flower shop, his City Hall office, his declared San Francisco residence on 28th Avenue, and another home on Roosevelt Avenue in Burlingame.
Neighbors of the 28th Avenue house, where Jew was registered as a voter and a candidate, said the property had been vacant for years. City investigators who examined utility bills, insurance and bank loan applications and other records concluded that Jew lived in Burlingame with his wife and daughter and that his claim of San Francisco residency was a fabrication, an allegation he has denied.
In response to the federal search, Jew told The Chronicle at the time that agents were investigating $40,000 in cash he had accepted from the tapioca drink shop operators in the Sunset who had approached him for help with city permit problems. Jew said he accepted the money only because he believed it was to pay a legitimate fee to a consultant to whom he had referred the businessmen for help.
He identified the consultant as Robert Chan, a former City Hall legislative aide. In Tuesday's indictment, the grand jury said Jew told business owners their payments were intended for a consultant, who was not identified in the court documents.
The indictment said Jew extorted money from the Quickly tapioca drink chain by first telling an unnamed top city planning official in March about the chain's possible permit problems. After the planning official told him that the chain's stores appeared to be violating a permit ordinance, Jew told the store operators he would help them stay in business in exchange for cash payments of $10,000 for each of the eight businesses, the indictment said.
All Planning Commission decisions in the Sunset District "have to pass through me. This is my district," the grand jury quoted Jew as telling the store operators.
Jew accepted $40,000 of the money on May 7, the indictment said. An FBI investigator, in court papers, said the FBI had supplied the money. The investigator said Jew told agents at the time of the searches that he had accepted the $40,000 for someone else but acknowledged keeping $20,000 of it. The FBI search turned up $10,000 of that money at the Burlingame home, agents said.

More MLB Players Added to "Unnaturals" List

The MLB steroids scandal is growing faster than Barry Bonds’ head. Now it has been revealed that other prominent major leaguers, who up to now weren’t suspected of any wrongdoing, took performance enhancing drugs as far back as 2002. The allegations keep coming to light as more and more of these steroid peddlers are getting caught.
I have a feeling that this situation is going to get worse before it gets better -- as we learn more about who took steroids and when they took them. It may finally reach a point where all baseball records broken between 1996 and 2005 (to be known throughout history as the “steroid era”) will be erased from the books, because no one can be sure which records are tainted and which ones are legitimate.
It’s a dark period in major league baseball, there’s no doubt about it. Pretty soon, the question won’t be about who took steroids, but rather about who didn’t. Baseball should take these most recent allegations to heart and start being even tougher on steroids. If the problem isn’t checked once and for all, it could surely ruin this great game forever.
This appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle this morning and was featured as a front page story:
Former major leaguers Matt Williams and Ismael Valdez also purchased performance-enhancing drugs, in 2002, from a Florida anti-aging clinic that was raided in February as part of an investigation by the Albany, N.Y., district attorney into alleged illegal drug sales, the newspaper said.
Major League Baseball began testing for steroids in 2003. HGH was banned in January 2005.
Power-hitting outfielder Jose Guillen bought nearly $20,000 worth of steroids and human growth hormone from 2003-05, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday.
The Chronicle received details of the players' orders in records from a source the newspaper didn't identify. Those records contained shipping and purchase orders, payment information, Social Security numbers and customers' birthdates, the paper said.
Guillen, 31, spent last season with the Seattle Mariners, batting .290 with 23 homers and 99 RBI. He split the 2003 season between Cincinnati and Oakland, and the Chronicle said business records indicate he had some of the drugs shipped to the Oakland Coliseum that year. He played for the Anaheim Angels in 2004 and Washington Nationals in 2005. Attempts by the Associated Press to reach him via cell phone were unsuccessful Tuesday.
Last week, the Mariners declined their $9 million option on Guillen's contract for next season. He has until Wednesday to decide if he wants to exercise his part of the mutual option at $5 million. If he does, the club can void the deal and pay him a $500,000 buyout. That would make Guillen a free agent.
Mariners president Chuck Armstrong told the AP the team remains interested in keeping Guillen.
"We thought he was an outstanding teammate. We were happy to have him. We know nothing about what happened in the past," Armstrong said. "I continue to admire and respect him greatly.
"Before I feel anything negative about Jose, I need to see something tangible or real."
Armstrong also said if Guillen exercises his option, the Mariners would need to investigate the allegations.
"I for sure would have to talk to Jose about this," Armstrong said.
Guillen just completed his 11th season in the majors. Records show he ordered more than $19,000 worth of drugs -- three kinds of human growth hormone, two types of testosterone and the steroids stanozolol and nandrolone -- from the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center between May 2002 and June 2005, the Chronicle said.
Williams was a five-time All-Star during his 17-year major league career with San Francisco, Cleveland and Arizona. He was playing for the Diamondbacks in 2002 when records indicate he purchased $11,600 worth of growth hormone, steroids and other drugs, the Chronicle reported.

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This Week's Review: Siena Bistro in Willow Glen

There is a restaurant in Willow Glen that features some of the finest Italian cuisine that I have ever had. It’s called Siena Bistro and features Mediterranean food that is authentic and unique. We tried some of their signature dishes last night, and I can honestly say that everything we sampled was flavorful, well-prepared and expertly served. The place recently changed owners, and the new folks have really brought a positive energy and creative approach to the whole establishment. Siena’s new owner, David, is a seasoned chef/restaurateur who is well-known throughout the South Bay as a former co-owner of Hawg’s in Campbell, where he developed quite a following. At Siena, he has created an extensive menu of items that are equally pleasing to both the palate and the eyes. The restaurant is nestled slightly off the beaten path, on the backside of bustling Lincoln Avenue, but that makes it even more intimate and comfortable. With a beautifully enclosed patio and a spacious interior featuring earth tones and mirrored walls, Siena Bistro isn’t pretentious. It prides itself on being exactly what it is – a bistro with food that is prepared with passion. The other night when we visited Siena Bistro, we had the Scallops Salad (pan-seared sea scallops, orange segments, hazelnuts and mixed greens in a parmesan basket for $12.95/double scallops $17.50). The salad had a cornucopia of textures and flavors and was very fresh. The scallops were firm and slightly sweet. We also had the Cheese Tortellini with Smoked Chicken and Chantrelle Mushrooms in a Brandy Cream Sauce ($16.75). The tortellini was perfectly al dente and the cream sauce had a depth of flavor that was pleasing and memorable. Next up was the Herb Crusted Alaskan Salmon, which came topped with a Tuscan grape sauce ($21.75) and Warm Brie Salad, which consisted of mixed greens, candied pecans dressed with champagne vinaigrette ($12.75). I am so tired of the same old salads, so this one was a welcome change. I will surely order it during my next visit to Siena Bistro. Siena Bistro is located at 1359 Lincoln Avenue, in downtown Willow Glen. For reservations, call (408) 271-0837. They’re open for both lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday and for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Catering, bag lunches and take-out is always available.

Dog the Bounty Hunter Hounded for using "N" Word

Dog the Bounty Hunter is the latest celebrity to fall victim to the “N” word. You would think that these racists would have learned their lesson after watching people like comedian Michael Richards and radio talk show host Don Imus bite the dust for using the word that can end careers and spark an enormous worldwide backlash in a millisecond.
Use of this six-letter word is an invitation to self-destruction. Now. A&E has taken Dog the Bounty Hunter off the air. Talks to bring it back any time soon aren’t underway. Duane “Dog” Chapman is in big trouble and all I can say is that racists eventually get what they deserve.
A lot of people had questioned some of Chapman’s behavior in the past. He presented himself as a devout Christian, yet swore like a longshoreman on many episodes of his show. He was also criticized for being too physical with many of the bail jumpers he captured.
Overall, I liked the guy, however. He took his job seriously, campaigned against drugs and volunteered a lot of his time talking at prisons and counseling inmates. He even won several awards for his outreach efforts and seemed to be a good family man.
Everything seemed to be going well for the bail bondsman/reality TV star until his son starting dating a black woman. Chapman made a phone call where he dropped several “N’ bombs and forbade his son to see the woman. Obviously upset over the whole incident, his son Tucker recorded the phone conversation and leaked it to the press.
Now he’s on the run himself, avoiding the media and devising a comeback strategy. Apologies are surely forthcoming, but will that be enough? One thing is for sure – this is one dog that has been neutered and lost his once-vicious bark.
This appeared yesterday on the Reuters web site:
A reality TV show starring celebrity bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman was pulled from the air indefinitely on Friday, two days after a private phone conversation in which he used a racial slur was posted online.
Cable channel A&E suspended production of the fifth series of Chapman's popular show, "Dog the Bounty Hunter," as the phone call was made public on Wednesday, but on Friday the network went a step further.
"In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take 'Dog The Bounty Hunter' off the network's schedule for the foreseeable future," an A&E spokesman said.
"We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun."
He said no decision had been made to cancel the program, which is shown in more than 10 countries, and the network will review the situation again in a couple of weeks.
Honolulu-based Chapman, 54, who says he is a devout Christian, has apologized for using the epithet "n-----" to describe a black woman being dated by his son, Tucker, and vowed to do whatever he can to repair the damage.
Chapman's lawyer was quoted in various media reports on Friday as saying that the conversation posted on The National Enquirer tabloid's Web site had been leaked by Tucker Chapman -- one of the crime-fighter's 12 children.
Chapman, a burly ex-con with long blond hair and leather wardrobe, rose to fame after his 2003 tracking and capture of Max Factor heir and serial rapist Andrew Luster in Mexico.
Media attention over that case led to an offer for a reality TV show tracking Chapman and his "posse" as they chase down people who skip bail and fail to show up in court.

Heather Mills Finding Out Her Life is a Hard Day's Night

What is it with the Beatles and their women? Many people have claimed that Yoko Ono led to the eventual breakup of the band. Anyone who has heard any of her albums must know she can’t sing. And now poor Paul McCartney is in a lengthy divorce case with his ex-wife.

Everyone associated with the couple has said that Mills is a star-chasing, money-grubbing leach who latched onto McCartney for money and fame, not love. Mills alienated many of McCartney’s closest friends with her rudeness and huge ego.

Now Mills is saying that she’s the victim. It’s pathetic, in my opinion. She’s backing off because she realizes that Paul has a lot more support in the media than she will ever possess. She’s been called out on her strong arm tactics and is now backpedaling at an alarming speed.

If everything that the press is saying about her is untrue, than why doesn’t she sue for libel? She could clean up. The fact is, it’s all true and the media has nothing to fear. Mills is exactly what many of us thought she was. No one is preying on her. In fact, if McCartney wasn’t such a good person, all of the truth about their failed relationship would really get out, and she’d really be getting some serious negative backlash.

The woman can cry all she wants, but I don’t see anyone running to her with a Kleenex. It’s a major case of what I call a “Karmatic snapback.” Mills created this situation and now wants to wriggle out of it because it’s become uncomfortable. But, that’s not going to happen, so now she’s threatening suicide.

Mills is my douche bag of the month, hands down. I can’t think of anyone more forgiving!

This appeared today on aol.com:

Heather Mills, estranged wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney, says Britain's tabloid media drove her "close to suicide" and wrongly cast her as a gold-digger.Mills appeared on British television on Wednesday to promote a campaign calling for a change in laws governing the media that would offer individuals greater protection, and asked viewers to visit Web site www.youcare.com to sign a petition.

"I've had 18 months of absolute abuse," Mills told GMTV in an interview during which she fought back tears several times."They've called me a whore, a gold-digger, a fantasist, a liar, the most unbelievably hurtful things."I've stayed quiet for my daughter. We've had death threats, I've been close to suicide ... I've had worse threats than a pedophile or a murderer, and I've done nothing but charity for 20 years," said Mills, 39.GMTV said Mills appeared on the show at her own request.Mills, who has a daughter Beatrice with McCartney, denied reports she had been offered a large financial settlement by the musician in what has become a bitter divorce battle."I have been offered nothing, OK?" she said.

"These figures are made up. 100 million (pounds), 50 million, 20 million ... How do you know if I even want any money? I'm 1-1/2 million in debt in lawyers' fees."The former model and charity worker denied reports she was holding out for the right to sell the story of her marriage to McCartney, 65, in the future."It's rubbish. I could sell my story right now. I'm trying to protect Paul and our daughter." The couple married in 2002 and split after four years.Mills said she had been the subject of 4,400 "abusive" articles and compared her situation to that of Kate McCann, the mother of missing girl Madeleine, and Princess Diana, who died after being chased by paparazzi."That is what we're doing as a nation, buying these newspapers," she told GMTV. "Every time you buy one of those you contribute to it. So force a change for responsible journalism."She said the "hate campaign" whipped up by some tabloid media put her and her daughter's life at risk."That's why I considered killing myself, because I thought if I'm dead, she's safe and she can be with her father."In a later television interview on BBC, Mills was asked: "Are you saying that Paul McCartney does not protect you and your child?" to which she replied: "I'm afraid not."McCartney's spokesman had no comment on the remark.