Lord Black of The Federal Prison System

Conrad is guilty. Before you let any Oz fantasies run wild, I'm quite sure that he'll wind up in a minimum security "club fed" type of place.

While I have found much of what Mr. Black says to be disagreeable and while I have a suspicion that he's probably an insufferable asshole in person, I don't particularly feel like celebrating because he's likely going to jail. He got caught, he was tried, he was found guilty. If he had been found innocent it would not blunt any of my antipathy for his opinions on a variety of topic. By the same token, his guilt does not change my opinion of, uh, his opinions.

Hoisted by his own Petard?

Conrad Black has always loved big words. I mean really, alarmingly big words. He often comes off as an irritating university sophomore eager to show off. His word usage mixed with his name dropping gets irksome - and this is coming from someone who probably name-drops and deliberately uses flowery language way too much.

All this leads to this gem. Conrad-loving Mark Steyn points out that:

"[Prosecutor Jeffery Cramer] took the opportunity to reiterate to the jury over and over that “four men in this room stole 60 million dollars”, and to bolster it he produced some quotes from Conrad Black’s memos, unusually loquacious by corporate standards and at least potentially damaging for jurors unfamiliar with his ornate rhetorical style."

So outsiders might view this "ornate rhetorical style" might do what? Give jurors the impression that Conrad is an obfuscating asshole who is pleased to talk down to others? Gee, Mark Steyn, I wonder how anyone could get such a distorted view of this man?

Corporate Graffiti Part II: Sue me, you bastards

Via Saskboy, today I find out that Clear Channel wants to sue anyone who has the temerity to point out that their signs are illegal. The reason that Clear Channel uses is that its licensing agreements are between itself and private property owners, therefore its no one else's business if the signs are in fact contravening by-laws.

This is the prevailing attitude among those who want to put up ads on every square-inch of Toronto - they think it's their God-given right to do so. Clear Channel has already ruined radio, I'd prefer that they not ruin my city.

Corporate Graffiti

That's what many of the signs are in downtown Toronto. (HT)