No shortage of bastards this month

Jail time should be the least of what this turd gets. He should have to spend a couple of weeks as the pivot boy in a circlejerk. Asshole. Also, gotta give a big thumbs up to the judge for rejecting the appeal.

Judge rejects appeal in ex-coach’s conviction for offering boy $25 to bean autistic teammate

Eds: Restores dropped word penultimate graf, want. Moving on general news and sports services.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. — A judge refused to reduce the sentence of a former youth baseball coach convicted of offering a player money to bean a 9-year-old autistic teammate.

Mark Downs Jr., 29, had argued in his appeal that his former attorney wasn’t effective. But Fayette County Judge Ralph Warman ruled Monday that Downs’ arguments were without merit. He let stand Downs’ one- to six-year prison sentence imposed last year.

Downs was convicted of corruption of minors and simple assault for offering $25 to an 8-year-old boy to hit his mildly autistic teammate with a ball while warming up before a June 2005 playoff game. The younger boy testified at trial that, on Downs’ instructions, he purposely threw a ball that hit his teammate in the groin, then threw another that hit him in the ear.

Prosecutors said Downs didn’t want the autistic boy in the game because he didn’t play as well as his teammates. League rules require each player to play at least three innings.

Downs remains free on bond while he continues an appeal to the Pennsylvania Superior Court.

Bad luck or really stupid?

Actually, given the continual dilution of the gene pool, probably both:

Couple dine and dash at upscale Minneapolis restaurant, but get caught at another

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The owner of the high-end Temple Restaurant was fuming when a couple ran out on a $410 bill after spending five hours over several appetizers, two entrees of freshwater prawns, a steak and plenty of cocktails.

“I was thinking, I hope to God I see these people again,” said owner Thom Pham.

Three hours later, he got his wish.

He walked into Azia, another upscale eatery he owns, and found the pair finishing off some expensive drinks after a second dinner that included a rack of lamb.

“I thought, ’Oh my God, I can’t believe my wishes are so powerful,”’ Pham said.

When the couple tried to flee, Pham, a former judo instructor, chased Reginald Wilder into an alley, forced him to the ground and held him until police arrived. Lance Burrow was arrested a half block away.

According to a police report, Burrow was dressed as a woman and wearing a wig.

“They were clearly either very dedicated fans of Mr. Pham’s restaurants, or they were incredibly unlucky,” said Lt. Amelia Huffman, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis Police Department.

“I call it ’instant karma,”’ said Pham.

Burrow, 20, is scheduled to make a court appearance July 25.

Wilder, 43, pleaded guilty and was required to make restitution of $705.86. In addition to a 17-month prison sentence, which was stayed, he also was ordered to serve 150 days in the Hennepin County workhouse. But he did not show up on July 2 as scheduled, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

George Bush eats boogers

It takes someone who really loves the taste of boogers to commute the sentence of a complete twat like Scooter Libby. It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is for a man who, as part of his oath of office, swore to uphold the laws of the land to ignore them.

For those of you who missed it, here is the latest from CNN on giving Libby a pass for his crimes .