GetSheila

Weather is a serious thing

I did not make fun of East Coasters for overreacting to their little earthquake.

I do not mock other states who complain about a few weeks of swelter we deal with ALL SUMMER LONG.

No, because, one day, it’s going to snow in Central California and we’ll be all:

• OMG! How are we supposed to drive in this slippery stuff?
• Breaking news: “Tragic deaths in Central California: people too stupid to get inside where it’s warm.”
• Eek! All this moisture makes my hair frizz!

When that happens and someone who lives with snow all the time makes fun of us, I will have the moral high ground and no compunction about punching them in the face.

 

Technorati Tags: east coast earthquake,weather woes

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Along the lines of my previous post:

When did this:

Become this?

I stayed up way too late last night reading Tina Fey’s Bossypants. Loved it! Not quite done but decided I have two whole weeks of vacation ahead of me so what’s the hurry?

Speaking of reading on your electronic device, I have two words for you:

Calibre (e-book management on your PC or Mac), and

Stanza (e-reader that can access your Calibre library and download books wirelessly. Currently only for iDevices, though.)

I didn’t think I needed Stanza because I already have both the iBooks and Kindle apps on my iPad but I was having trouble getting Calibre to recognize my iPad when plugged in so I tried out Stanza. Did I mention I just click a button in Calibre to turn on the content server and Stanza on my iPad can see my entire library of ebooks on my PC and download any I choose to my iPad wirelessly? I did? IT BEARS REPEATING.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have terribly important things to consider, like whether I should brush my teeth or have another mug of tea and read the rest of Bossypants before I venture out into the world today.

 

Technorati Tags: tina fey,bossypants,ebooks,calibre,stanza

Domestic abuse claims local victim

 

Diane Reid-Romero was murdered by her husband last week in Merced. She was 44.

On average, more than three women a day are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in the United States.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, whether you are male or female, adult or child, help is available. You are not alone.

 

From the Family Violence Prevention Fund:

Get Help If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you are being hurt by your partner, it is NOT your fault. You deserve to be safe and healthy. For help and information anytime, contact: National Domestic Violence Hotline www.ndvh.org 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) TTY 1-800-787-3224 National Sexual Assault Hotline www.rainn.org 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline www.loveisrespect.org 1-866-331-9474 TTY 1-866-331-8453 Are you concerned about your relationship? Does your partner scare, criticize, or blame you? Does your partner tell you what to do and who to see? Has your partner ever hurt or threatened you, or pressured you to have sex? You are not alone. Abuse happens in every culture, every country, every age group, and it may be happening to you. No one deserves to be abused or threatened. You cannot stop your partner's abuse, but you can find help and support for yourself. What You Can Do Call the police if you are in danger and seek medical attention if you are hurt. Talk with somebody you trust such as a friend or relative, someone from your job or house of worship, or your health care provider. Develop a safety plan with your children including people they can call in an emergency. Put together an "emergency kit" for a situation where you have to leave suddenly (keys, money, legal and important documents, medicines, etc.). Remember that you are the expert about your own life. Don't let anyone talk you into doing something that's not right for you. There is no excuse for domestic violence.

 

Technorati Tags: domestic violence,diane reid-romero,diane romero

Sziraki Saga Finally Over

Over for us gawkers, that is. Just beginning for Kim.

Merced Sun-Star Friday, Sep. 17, 2010 Sziraki sentenced to seven years for embezzling more than $1.4 million from Merced nut plant By VICTOR A. PATTON - vpatton@mercedsun-star.com A "selfish act" requiring sophisticated planning to bring to fruition. Those were the words Judge Ronald Hansen used Friday to describe the crimes of convicted embezzler Kimberly Sziraki, before revealing her sentence in Merced County Superior Court: seven years in state prison. Friends and family members of Sziraki wept openly after Hansen announced his verdict. The 45-year-old mother of four was convicted of embezzling $1,476,510 from nut processing plant Central Valley Processing Acquisition Corp. between 2005 and 2008, where she worked as a manager. She also was ordered to repay the money. Wearing a pink sweater, her brown hair pulled back, Sziraki tried comforting her devastated children and husband, Merced County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Sziraki, after the verdict was read. She turned to them and offered a melancholy smile, followed by a sharp wink. Shortly afterward, she exchanged hugs with several well-wishers and was led away by bailiffs to begin serving her sentence. She pleaded no contest in June to four felony counts of embezzlement and unlawfully using a credit card, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Thirteen counts were dropped as part of the deal. Prosecutors said there's no evidence Steve Sziraki was aware of the crimes when they were happening. Before Friday's hearing, Kimberly Sziraki had faced between five and eight years in prison. Her attorney, John Garcia, on Friday argued for a minimum sentence of five years, saying she had no prior record, had expressed remorse and was in the grips of alcoholism at the time of the crimes. Sziraki dabbed her eyes with a tissue as Garcia spoke of how she was an online gambling addict who on one occasion spent $400,000 in less than three hours. Sziraki was also suffering from severe depression coupled with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, Garcia related, saying she cooperated fully with investigators from the district attorney's office in the case. "There are no expensive vacations, no expensive automobiles, no expensive renovations to homes," Garcia told Hansen. "All of this money was unfortunately squandered through alcohol addiction." Chief Deputy District Attorney John Goold took exception with how Garcia characterized Sziraki. "Having an addictive personality does not mean your actions are involuntary," Goold said. Ultimately, Hansen also disagreed with Garcia, saying the crimes happened on many occasions over a period of years. Hansen also highlighted the deceptive means Sziraki used to steal, such as writing checks to herself and making false entries in the company's books. Hansen pointed out the massive amount Sziraki had embezzled, saying she'd have faced an "astronomical" sentence if there were separate counts for each illicit check. "I do not find mental condition reduces the culpability for the crime," Hansen said. Ken Spagnola, who co-owns Central Valley Processing with his wife, said the $1.4 million loss didn't include the collateral damage and heartache Sziraki caused his company. For example, employee salaries were cut because of her actions, Spagnola said, adding there were payroll taxes that went unpaid when she was at the company. Spagnola said the seven-year sentence was about what he would expect. "They could have put her in prison for the rest of her life -- and that's not what I would have wanted," Spagnola said. "If she ends up spending half the time in prison, I think that's a good sentence." Still, Sziraki had her supporters, including Merced City Councilman Bill Blake. The former undersheriff wrote a letter to Hansen, asking for leniency. Blake, who shares a grandson with Sziraki, said he'd noticed her alcohol addiction became more "pronounced" over the years, and her personality had changed as a result. "It became clear to me that Kim was on the verge of a breakdown as she deteriorated from the alcohol abuse and depression," Blake wrote. "You could tell when talking to Kim that she was struggling to keep up a happy appearance and it was noticeable when compared with four years prior when her happiness was sincere and not affected by alcohol and depression." Although Blake, who wasn't present at Friday's hearing, wrote he could imagine the outrage of the victims, he said Sziraki's family would experience an "immense loss" with a wife, mother and grandmother being sent to prison. "Kim Sziraki is irreplaceable to her family and friends and the time she is gone will leave a huge void in the lives of many and will be time lost that will hurt her and many around her." Blake wasn't the only familiar name on Sziraki's list of supporters. Diana Almanza, former director of the now-defunct "A Woman's Place." also turned up at Sziraki's sentencing hearing and wrote a letter of support. Almanza made headlines in 2008 after she crashed into a parked van on Dinkey Creek Avenue. Police said she'd been drinking. Less than a week later, she hit the same van and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent, police reported. Almanza pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving and a hit-and-run. In her letter, Almanza asked Hansen for the "lowest possible" sentence. "She certainly will not be in a position to be able to repeat this offense and, quite frankly, I cannot imagine that she will ever repeat any illegal activity given her remarkable record of committing no crime prior to this offense," Almanza wrote. Sziraki will probably be sent to a prison in Chowchilla, Garcia said, but exactly where hasn't been determined yet. Because the crime wasn't a violent offense, she could be paroled in three-and-a-half years. "I expect that she's going to be a model prisoner and will get out in the least possible time," Garcia said. The District Attorney's Office originally projected Sziraki had embezzled $1.6 million, but that figure was later scaled back to $1.4 million. Reporter Victor A.Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com. Read more: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/09/17/1573753/sziraki-sentenced-to-seven-years.html#ixzz0ztsU6pop

Now that I’ve served as a juror, I more fully understand the defense attorney’s job, which is to protect his client’s rights throughout the trial and get the sentence reduced as much as possible if, as in this case, his client pleads guilty. So I can’t really make fun of him for all the outlandish reasons he gave for her behavior, asserted in an attempt to reduce her culpability and thereby her sentence.

Actually, I can, but that would be wrong.

So I’ll just make fun of Bill Blake and Diana Almanza instead.

Bill, you know I love you, but you were Undersheriff for crying out loud. Leniency? She systematically and blatantly broke the law over an extended period of time, ruining a company in the process. It’s still afloat only by the grace of the employees taking pay cuts, so I hear. You do share a grandson so I suppose I understand your motives. However, the excerpt above seems to indicate you saw her headed for a breakdown but took no action. You are such a good man. Please don’t turn into an icky politician now that you’re on the City Council.

Diana, I don’t know you but I saw the devastation you left behind at A Woman’s Place. Your attorney – Hey, look at that, you had the same attorney Kim does. What a small world. – said you were scapegoated for the agency’s collapse. You were the Director. Who else do you suggest they blame? But my real point is this: do you actually think it helped Kim to have a former two time hit-and-run drunk driver write a letter on her behalf?

Yes, I am so going to hell. (If there is one.)

As a CPA, financial crimes really stick in my craw. The payroll tax thing is especially problematic for the company. The company withheld payroll taxes from employee checks but Kim stole that money so it was never forwarded on to the federal and state governments. The company is still on the hook for paying in those taxes. If they don’t, the employees don’t get credit for their income tax withholdings or payments into social security and state disability funds via FICA and SDI withholdings. If they do pay them, they’re essentially paying them twice since they first paid them out to Kim (unbeknownst to them) and it is unlikely she has the cash to pay them back. Also, the IRS and EDD will hit them with penalties and interest for late payment. NIGHTMARE.

I’m just so glad the public drama is finally over. At least Kim will be close to home in Chowchilla Women’s Prison. Did you know there are two down there, right across the street from each other:

• Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), which houses the State of California’s death row for women, and
• Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW)

Wonder which one she’ll end up in.

Photo credits: hover over photos for credits

Technorati Tags: kim sziraki,kim walker,merced embezzlement,atwater high songleader hall of shame

Sziraki Update (yawn)

 

Saturday, Jul. 24, 2010 Sentencing postponed for embezzler Sziraki A Friday sentencing hearing for convicted embezzler Kimberly Sziraki was postponed until Sept. 14 in Merced County Superior Court. The hearing was moved because Judge Ronald Hansen, who presided over Sziraki's case, was unavailable Friday. Sziraki, 45, pleaded no contest last month to stealing $1.6 million from a Merced nut processing plant. As part of the plea agreement with prosecutors from the Merced County District Attorney's Office, Sziraki will be sentenced to between five and eight years in prison. She remains free on bail. -- Victor A. Patton Read more: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2010/07/24/1505771/sentencing-postponed-for-embezzler.html#ixzz0unjfgsQB

There isn’t any more story to read at the link but you can check out the comments left by the crazy people. Until they move the story and break the link, of course.

What were they thinking scheduling a hearing for a Friday? Isn’t that golf day for lawyers and judges?

 

Technorati Tags: kim sziraki,kim walker,merced embezzlement

Sziraki Seeking Deal

As you may have noticed, I am taking a break from blogging to find my inner peace.

And get some laundry done.

I cannot, however, leave you uninformed in the Kim Walker Sziraki - former AHS songleader - embezzlement saga. If you have not read this already, here is the latest from the Merced Sun-Star.

Saturday, May. 08, 2010 Embezzle defendant might be seeking deal Sziraki doesn't want preliminary hearing. By VICTOR A. PATTON vpatton@mercedsun-star.com Million-dollar embezzlement defendant Kimberly Sziraki waived her right to a preliminary hearing in Merced County Superior Court on Friday, possibly signaling a resolution to her case soon. During a preliminary hearing, the District Attorney's Office must provide sufficient evidence that a crime occurred. Because Sziraki, 45, waived her right to a preliminary hearing, however, the case can now move forward without a judge's determination that ample evidence exists to try her. Judge Ronald Hansen set Sziraki's next hearing for June 7. Her attorney, John Garcia, said he still doubts the case will go to trial. "Unless there's a complete breakdown in negotiations, (that's) the only way I can see this actually going to jury trial," Garcia said. "I am confident that (Chief Deputy District Attorney) Mark Bacciarini and I will probably come to some sort of agreement." Bacciarini, the prosecutor in the case, declined comment Friday about whether a plea agreement is in the works. Garcia said his client waived her right to a preliminary hearing primarily because she understood she'd be held to answer on the charges. The question now isn't whether Sziraki committed a crime, Garcia said, but what sentence she'll ultimately receive. He's hopeful Sziraki will receive a lenient sentence, especially because she has no prior criminal record and was suffering from alcoholism and other medical issues. Still, Garcia acknowledged that prosecutors are pushing for prison. "Mrs. Sziraki has never denied wrongdoing. She's never denied that there were acts of embezzlement. It's always been a matter of what would be the appropriate disposition," Garcia said. During Friday's hearing, Judge Ronald Hansen also approved a motion by the prosecution to merge both embezzlement cases against Sziraki into one. Sziraki is accused of embezzling $1.6 million between 2005 and 2008 from Central Valley Processing Acquisition Corp., a nut processing plant in Merced County where she'd worked as a manager. She faces a total of 17 counts, most of which are felony embezzlement charges. If convicted, she faces a maximum of 17 years in prison. She remains free on bail. Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.

I am no longer as gleefully voyeuristic about Kim’s situation as I once was. Now it just makes me sad. Sad and disappointed that someone I once spent a lot of time with chose a path of deceit. And for what? A big house? Fancy cars? Boob jobs for her and her daughters?

I have no proof of that last part, or any of it for that matter. I am just passing on gossip from Sun-Star comments on earlier Sziraki articles.

Okay, maybe still a little bit gleeful.

I am so going to hell when I die.

(If there is one.)

_______________________________________________________________________

Related posts:

Atwater High Songleader Hall of Shame

Sziraki Saga Continues

More Sziraki News – Brace Yourself

Sziraki Train Wreck Update

Technorati Tags: kim sziraki,kim walker,merced embezzlement

Abstinence makes the heart grow hornier

Abstinence as a birth control method: thoughts?

Bristol Palin was on Oprah the other day discussing her commitment to abstinence. No I did not watch. Though Sarah Palin is lovely to look at, she was there to talk about her new gig at Fox News and, well, enough said. Add the lunacy of a discussion about young, horny girls using abstinence as their sole birth control method and I just had to say no.

So yesterday the morning shows jumped on the band wagon and interviewed various teenage mothers about how hard it is to have a child so young.

Young mothers. As in, girls who have already had sex.

Does “barn door” and “your escaped farm animal just pooped its diaper” mean anything to you?

So clearly its not a purity thing. (And thank god, because those chicks are nuts.)

The abstinence is solely for birth control reasons. Now I don’t know about you but I am having a hard time grasping the concept:

1. Sex makes babies;
2. These girls knew that before they had sex the first time;
3. They used no birth control method the first time;
4. They couldn’t resist having sex;
5. They got pregnant and opted to keep the baby;
6. They are now complaining about how hard it is to raise the baby they consciously and voluntarily chose to keep;
7. They have decided on abstinence as their sole birth control method from now on.

Is it just me, or is something missing here? How about a backup plan, like always have condoms on hand? Nix unwanted pregnancy and STD’s in one shot. Always having condoms doesn’t mean you’re planning to have sex. It means you have a brain and recognize you are a human being with wants and needs and perhaps not as much will power as you hope for.

I notice no one mentioned abstinence is also a great method against STD’s. Perhaps that topic is too delicate for daytime TV.

They also failed to mention abstinence in older women is called “a dry spell.” Mine has been going on for years.

Oprah has been getting a lot of flack for saying, “Good luck with that” to Bristol Palin. I saw the clip and she wasn’t being sarcastic but, damn, she should have been.

Seriously, to Bristol and all the women out there using abstinence as a birth control method: good luck with that but please carry condoms. You don’t take the kid out without backup diapers do you? BE PREPARED.

 

Technorati Tags: abstinence as birth control,bristol palin

Sziraki Train Wreck Update

If you missed my prior posts on the Kim Sziraki embezzlement fiasco…

1. Atwater High Songleader Hall of Shame
2. Sziraki Saga Continues
3. More Sziraki News – Brace Yourself

…this one should catch you up nicely:

---

Merced Sun-Star
Monday, Nov. 16, 2009

Prosecutors double amount Sziraki allegedly embezzled to $1.6M

By VICTOR A. PATTON

Prosecutors say they've uncovered more evidence in the case of embezzlement suspect Kimberly Sziraki, claiming the amount of alleged stolen funds has doubled to about $1.6 million.

Sziraki, 45, was arrested Jan. 7 on suspicion of embezzling money from Central Valley Processing Acquisition Corp. in Merced, where she'd worked as a manager. She was charged with three felony counts of embezzlement and one count of unlawful use of an access card.

Sziraki is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on 13 additional counts of felony embezzlement, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Mark Bacciarini. The Merced County District Attorney's Office filed those charges in Merced County Superior Court last week.

According to Bacciarini, the latest 13 counts were filed after investigators from the district attorney's office issued a subpoena for bank records from a Bank of America account shared by Sziraki and her husband, Merced County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Sziraki.

Investigators found evidence of $279,126 in wire transfers and $524,172 in Central Valley Processing checks Kimberly Sziraki allegedly deposited into the Bank of America account between December 2005 and January 2007, Bacciarini said.

Sziraki was already facing charges for allegedly depositing about $832,000 from CVP into a Washington Mutual account between March 2006 and February 2008.

An examination of Sziraki's Washington Mutual and Bank of America accounts appears to indicate that a total of $1.6 million was embezzled from CVP between 2005 to 2008, Bacciarini said.

Sziraki was facing between five and 10 years in prison. Now that she's facing 13 additional charges, she could face 17 years behind bars if convicted.

The Bank of America account was in the name of Sziraki and her husband, but Bacciarini said there's no evidence Steve Sziraki knew about the stolen funds. The husband hasn't been charged in the case.

Investigators are still trying to account for what happened to the stolen funds. None of the money has been recovered, and some of it may have been spent on gambling, Bacciarini said.

Sziraki pleaded not guilty to the first four charges in January.

John Garcia, her attorney, said he couldn't comment specifically on the latest charges because he hasn't seen them. Still, Garcia said he wants to confirm whether the district attorney's office is inflating the amount of allegedly embezzled funds. "If they have that evidence, I am certainly very anxious to see that," Garcia said. "But I would certainly like to verify all of that stuff through a CPA."

Even if Sziraki is convicted, Garcia said he's hopeful she'd receive a sentence of probation, as opposed to prison. Sziraki was suffering from alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder when the alleged crime happened, Garcia said.

Garcia said his client has cooperated fully with investigators, adding that he "doesn't see the point" in spending taxpayer dollars to incarcerate a nonviolent person with no criminal background. He noted that Sziraki has been in treatment.

Ken Spagnola, owner of Central Valley Processing, said he wasn't surprised investigators found more alleged embezzled funds. Since Sziraki's arrest in January, Spagnola has steadfastly maintained she stole more than $1 million. "I knew right away that the B of A account was a smoking gun," Spagnola said.

The alleged embezzlement began after Sziraki took over for a plant manager who had fallen ill to cancer, Spagnola said.

Spagnola said the alleged crimes came to light after he hired a bookkeeper, who spotted a wire transfer into a personal account for Sziraki. Spagnola said he also noticed that Sziraki hadn't been paying the company's payroll taxes. In April 2008, he contacted the Merced County District Attorney's Office about the missing funds.

Sziraki remains free on bail.

Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.

(Full story at the Merced Sun Star website , until they move it and break the link.)

---

 

My favorite part is where Kim’s attorney says he doesn't see the point in spending taxpayer dollars to incarcerate a nonviolent person with no criminal background.

I agree! Why do we incarcerate anyone who commits a nonviolent crime? I mean, it’s not like it’s the law or anything. Who cares if the family who owns the company might go broke or have to lay off a bunch of hard working employees because of the $1.6 MILLION DOLLARS she took? Come on! There was no violence. Let’s just call her a naughty girl and send her to bed without dessert.

*pokes own eye out with a sharpened pixie stick*

 

Technorati Tags: kim sziraki,kim walker,merced embezzlement

Jury Duty 1: Preliminary Thoughts

Happy birthday to me: I turned 45 on Monday. Yippee! I’m excited I’m not dead. It’s good to be above ground.

As a special present this year, the State gave me jury duty. And by jury duty, I mean the kind where you actually have to stay for the trail, as opposed to the kind where you show up and sit around all day bored out of your mind, only to be sent home before ever making it into the jury box for voir dire.

That was my last experience about 20 years ago and I haven’t been called since. I find that odd. Actually that’s not quite true. I did receive a summons when I lived in Fremont but opted for the 3 month deferral knowing I was moving the next month and it would take them a while to catch up with me at my new address.

I know! So shameful.

This year, I showed up to the fancy new Merced courthouse not quite sure what to expect in terms of security. Last year, a man walked past security with a knife in each hand, ran into a courtroom, and was headed for the judge before deputies shot and killed him.

Now it’s just like airport security at the courthouse entrance, only they don’t make you take off your shoes: purse on conveyor belt, walk through metal detector, confirm that yes, you are wearing an underwire bra, then go on your merry way.

(Oh wait, that last part happened at the Calgary airport but not at any of the U.S. ones nor at the County courthouse. Canada overachieves once again.)

So guess which judge presides over the trial for which I am a juror? Go on, guess…

Thaaaat’s right, the target of the knife-wielding mental health patient. The judge has since moved to a courtroom on the second floor so any crazy person who manages to get past security still has to navigate stairs to get to him. Very sensible of him.

Obviously I cannot talk about the trial until it’s all over but I can discuss things unrelated to the trial but very much related to serving as a juror. I will put that in a separate post I hope to get up in the next day or so.

In the meantime, are you dressing up for Halloween? What is your costume? Do provide a link to pictures in the comments here, won’t you?

 

Technorati Tags: jury duty,merced courthouse

 

Photo source: Courthouses of California on The Well

Spam emails: who writes this stuff?

I’ve been getting a lot of spam for “High-End Luxury Watches!”

As opposed to “Low-End” luxury watches?

Technorati Tags: spam emails