Comments on: Another One Bites the Dust – Bill Allen is Sentenced (and I win a little wager!) http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/ Tiptoeing Through the Muck of Alaskan Politics Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:08:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: southernyankeebelle http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143836 southernyankeebelle Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:26:29 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143836 Wow, your friend worked very hard on that quilt. My mother-in-law was really good at doing quilts. What allot of detailed work she put into it. You must be pretty special for her to make it for you. Wow, your friend worked very hard on that quilt. My mother-in-law was really good at doing quilts. What allot of detailed work she put into it. You must be pretty special for her to make it for you.

]]> By: MO Inkslinger http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143791 MO Inkslinger Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:34:20 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143791 Can't wait to see the "lame duck" who quacked through her resignation speech in court for some of her dealings! Can’t wait to see the “lame duck” who quacked through her resignation speech in court for some of her dealings!

]]> By: mlaiuppa http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143768 mlaiuppa Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:04:50 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143768 So. What did you win? So. What did you win?

]]> By: strangelet http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143701 strangelet Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:45:04 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143701 @49 ValleyIndependent: Bill Allen reminds me of a fellow down in San Jose who went into the slammer ten or so years ago. He was the patriarch of a big Italian family and owned (among many other things) a legal poker club. It turned out that he also was involved in a lot of illegal things as well, of which bribing city officials was a relatively small part. When sentencing time finally rolled around, there were, literally, hundreds of letters to the judge, from all manner of people and organizations, asking for leniency because of his many public and private charitable activities, his financial support for civic activities, his excellent treatment of his employees, the many times he gave somebody a financial leg up, etc. These testimonials were, evidently, true, and mostly unsolicited. The guy was really quite generous and caring and civic-minded and all that. The thing is, he was also a huge crook, and the money that he so generously spread around was basically stolen -- from investors, from the city, from fraudulent tax returns. The folks who sent letters on his behalf thought he was great, because he helped them, or someone they knew, or some cause they supported; but they never thought about where the money came from, or how its loss affected those from whom it was taken. The judge lightened his sentence a little bit. @49 ValleyIndependent: Bill Allen reminds me of a fellow down in San Jose who went into the slammer ten or so years ago. He was the patriarch of a big Italian family and owned (among many other things) a legal poker club. It turned out that he also was involved in a lot of illegal things as well, of which bribing city officials was a relatively small part.

When sentencing time finally rolled around, there were, literally, hundreds of letters to the judge, from all manner of people and organizations, asking for leniency because of his many public and private charitable activities, his financial support for civic activities, his excellent treatment of his employees, the many times he gave somebody a financial leg up, etc.

These testimonials were, evidently, true, and mostly unsolicited. The guy was really quite generous and caring and civic-minded and all that. The thing is, he was also a huge crook, and the money that he so generously spread around was basically stolen — from investors, from the city, from fraudulent tax returns.

The folks who sent letters on his behalf thought he was great, because he helped them, or someone they knew, or some cause they supported; but they never thought about where the money came from, or how its loss affected those from whom it was taken.

The judge lightened his sentence a little bit.

]]> By: strangelet http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143700 strangelet Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:26:49 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143700 @AKM, it's probably good you didn't do the "YESSS" dance when you won the pool. The judge was probably so wired by then he would have hit you with a contempt. @AKM, it’s probably good you didn’t do the “YESSS” dance when you won the pool. The judge was probably so wired by then he would have hit you with a contempt.

]]> By: ValleyIndependent http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143666 ValleyIndependent Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:05:29 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143666 This whole thing is really sad. You have to give the guy credit for going from just being another hand on an oil rig to being the head of a multi-national company. It takes a lot of hard work, smarts, and some dumb luck to pull off that kind of feat. I also remember when one of his IT guys had a tragic accident riding his motorcycle home from a softball game. He ended up a quadraplegic. Mr. Allen was supportive and held his job open for months while he was out of state in rehab, then made sure accommodations were made so he could come back to work. Mr. Allen never made a big deal out of it - he just did it because he wanted to do the right thing by this young man and his family. I always thought he was a male chauvinist, and I can't say I ever wanted to hang out with the guy, but he really did do some good. Too bad he chose to do the things he will be most remembered for. This whole thing is really sad.

You have to give the guy credit for going from just being another hand on an oil rig to being the head of a multi-national company. It takes a lot of hard work, smarts, and some dumb luck to pull off that kind of feat.

I also remember when one of his IT guys had a tragic accident riding his motorcycle home from a softball game. He ended up a quadraplegic. Mr. Allen was supportive and held his job open for months while he was out of state in rehab, then made sure accommodations were made so he could come back to work. Mr. Allen never made a big deal out of it – he just did it because he wanted to do the right thing by this young man and his family.

I always thought he was a male chauvinist, and I can’t say I ever wanted to hang out with the guy, but he really did do some good. Too bad he chose to do the things he will be most remembered for.

]]> By: sauerkraut http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143648 sauerkraut Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:55:37 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143648 He won't be out in just 3 months. Too bad the judge stuck him with concurrent sentences instead of the consecutive types. The woman in the front seat has no shame. But she at least did not label the questions as stupid. Maybe there's a brain in there, but I doubt it. He won’t be out in just 3 months. Too bad the judge stuck him with concurrent sentences instead of the consecutive types.

The woman in the front seat has no shame. But she at least did not label the questions as stupid. Maybe there’s a brain in there, but I doubt it.

]]> By: Mag the Mick http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143644 Mag the Mick Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:45:09 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143644 Will somebody give me one of those "Law and Order" bah-bumps? When I think of the cell door slamming behind him, I need to have that particular sound effect. Will somebody give me one of those “Law and Order” bah-bumps? When I think of the cell door slamming behind him, I need to have that particular sound effect.

]]> By: seattlefan http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143640 seattlefan Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:32:52 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143640 You done some good reportin' there AKM. :) (I really needed a laugh tonight and you made it possible. Thanks!!) You done some good reportin’ there AKM. :)

(I really needed a laugh tonight and you made it possible. Thanks!!)

]]> By: claudianyc http://www.themudflats.net/2009/10/29/another-one-bites-the-dust-bill-allen-is-sentenced/#comment-143636 claudianyc Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:26:12 +0000 http://www.themudflats.net/?p=7661#comment-143636 Thanks AKM! That was great reporting and drawing! Like you--and the judge had I actually had to listen to that unmitigated bs I would have been pretty irritated. In fact, I think the judge should have added six months for wasting the court's time. But reading your version I literally laughed out loud. Thanks for the best laugh of the day! Some day you should create a section of the site with all of the great mudflats photos and artwork and the sitting duck should definitely be in there. Thanks AKM! That was great reporting and drawing! Like you–and the judge had I actually had to listen to that unmitigated bs I would have been pretty irritated. In fact, I think the judge should have added six months for wasting the court’s time. But reading your version I literally laughed out loud. Thanks for the best laugh of the day!

Some day you should create a section of the site with all of the great mudflats photos and artwork and the sitting duck should definitely be in there.

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