Wesley Snipes is in court as I write this to be sentenced on his conviction of multiple counts of failing to file income tax returns. All of this stems out of a highly publicized trial in which Federal Prosecutors hoped to land a more serious conviction of conspiracy to avoid paying income taxes and tax fraud which are felonies. To show just how much more serious, his co-defendants were convicted on the more serious charges and are facing ten years in prison.

The lessor conviction at the times seemed like a major victory for Snipes but the true scope will be seen today as prosecutors argue that Snipes as a high profile tax scofflaw should be made and example of and be given the maximum sentence of three years in prison. Hard, real life prison time. Not a stay at “The Rules Don’t Apply To Me” rehab Hilton.

As expected there was a long line of celebrity friends who submitted letters to the court on Snipes behalf attesting to his “good character”. The list includes Woody Harrelson, Goldie Hawn, etc etc. All saying what a great friend and great guy Snipes is. This is not unusual. Whenever someone faces sentencing on a serious crime, there are often letters submitted to the court on that persons behalf in the hope of convincing the judge to hand down the most lenient sentence possible. I would probably do the same if one of my friends were standing tall before the man….

I just have to ask though if we sacrifice our own character when we step forward and ignore the very morals and “character” which we hope to possess and instill in our children. It is one thing to step forward and say your sorry for what you did but how can you step forward and in face of a verdict saying this guy is a liar and a cheat “but besides that he has “great character”…….. When we step forward for Wesley and those similarly situated are we sacrificing our own character in doing so?

It reminds me of a case here in Dallas about two years ago. A former Dallas pastor by the name of Terry Hornbuckle was accused of the rape of several of his parishioners. During trial it was made public that former Dallas Cowboys and NFL Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Deion Sanders both sent letters to the grand jury basically stating what a great guy Pastor Hornbuckle was and what a great influence he was on their families. When I read about these letters, I was frankly shocked that both Emmitt and Deion would put themselves out there like that when this guy is charged with multiple counts of rape. Vouching for this guys “character”.

Pastor Hornbuckle was convicted and is currently serving 15 years. Do you think Emmitt and Deion sent letters to the judge at sentencing. I may be wrong but I doubt it.

This is not a criticism of Emmitt or Deion. If he was my friend, I may have done the same.

It is just an observation on the word “character” . We throw it out there as it suits us. We define it to best self-promote our interests. We dilute it, abuse it, throw it , toss it, stomp it, kick it…. Whenever and whearever it lands, it always seems to be worth a little bit less…..

It looks like former New England Patriot film guy turned government rat Matt Walsh may be ready to spill his guts to the federal government. No quite the Valachi Papers or Donnie Brasco but another sports scandal distraction for us all to roll our eyes out and watch the government cash registers “chi-ching” away at all the wasted tax dollars. If I read one thing about a congressional investigation or grand jury subpoenas with regard to the New England Patriots taping scandal I’m going to puke. I’m starting to suspect these federal prosecutors and elected officials get a “per subpoena” bonus… Barry Bonds perjury trial, Roger Clemens suspected perjury, Steroid Hearings… Every time I pick up the papers some grand jury or Senate Committee is being convened to spend millions of dollars in taxpayer money on issues that are absolutely trivial in the grand scheme of issues that affect our lives….

Meanwhile, Wesley Snipes thumbs his nose at the Federal government to the tune of 38 million dollars and gets away with it! (At least the criminal part) 

As sure as I am sitting here, a year from now we are going to be reading about another moronic investigation, about Congressional testimony, who will testify and whether Bill Belechick will be indicted for perjury……. Go get him guys! I did read on TMZ that Bill Belechick used to be a CIA operative and is currently being questioned in the CIA tape destruction scandal. He has not been heard from in 24 hours and the rumor is circulating that he has been “renditioned” to the site of Jimmy Hoffa’s grave

I did hear that there is a new NBC primetime  reality series starting this fall entitled: I AM THE TARGET OF A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION………  They are trying to locate Jimmy Hoffa to be the first guest star…

You see it every day just about every mainstream and tabloid news site. Nothing stays a secret. Just ask Britney Spears……. A piece of information/data put into play will at first flow on its own inertia to its closest intended point, after that watch out! That piece of data is then enters “data pinball”. The flipper hits it and while the intent is to send it in a certain direction, you have no idea where it is going to end up. Each time it hits a “bumper” it is sent off in a whole new direction with new force and inertia. Theoretically this will go on as long as someone “bumpers” or “flips” it again in a whole different direction…….. 

What is ironic is that the data itself will never change form but what finally makes it into the mainstream depending on where it ‘bounces” is never conveys the original message………  Just ask George Karl’s attorney Brett Adams of the law firm of Adams Babner and Gitlitz who sent the owner of the web site FireGeorgeKarl.com (the coach of the Denver Nuggets) his infamous “I will sue you into bankruptcy” email.   When the email finally came to rest on that same website… the message was not that the website was posting anything improper but that Brett Adams was an arrogant jerk…..   I don’t know if he is or not. I have never met him. That is the danger of Data Pinball…..

 The “data pinball” is sent off to hit other bumpers, setting off all new bells and whistles, racking new “data pinball” points for its new owner…..So why do we keep doing such stupid things with our data!

Whether it is emails, photos, text messages etc…… A whole blog could be written about famous people and people who received unwanted “fame” as a direct result of not thinking about this before they hit send on their email, text message or voicemail rant or secret affair rendezvous….. From the highest level of technology down to the good old telephone. Just ask Alec Baldwin……  His data started on good old telephone lines and ended up pinballing all over the world…..     His voicemail visitation rant to his daughter will be on YouTube until YouTube is no more or hell freezes over….Who knows when it will stop if ever……. Embarrassment is just the least of the damage; careers and marriages are ended…. 

We have all done it. I am just as guilty. There have been many times where I sent that text, or email and just seconds after send wished to hell I hadn’t done it…… Too late I now have to assume those texts or emails are stored somewhere just waiting to be pinballed somewhere at some point in time for whatever reason and when least expect it…… Will there be an unknown and timeless price to pay for that instantaneous moment of adrenaline gratification I sought when I hit send and patted myself on the back for letting that person have it…..

Ah yes…… The game of data pinball……. Where’s my quarter……….

I admit that I have become obsessed with the trials and tribulations of Britney Spears. While I despise everything TMZ.com stands for, I have become a closet “TMZr” just to check out what disaster or embarrassment she is into on any given day. I have even seen my brother Mark Cuban on their site now and then. He however always takes it in stride when the “paps” whoop on him. He even has some fun with them. His “faux” cocaine off the cell phone impression was hilarious and can be seen on their site…

It is however a sad statement of what I use some of my free time and I would be the first to admit that I despise everything TMZ stand for…. Now that I think about it, TMZ really doesn’t stand for anything… It is a completely content empty intrusion into the lives of others. Yet there I am daily….. Shame on Brian….. I admit that those who go to this site contribute to the whose of those in the public eye who would like their private life to stay their own to some degree or who simply don’t want to be harassed EVERY SINGLE TIME they step out of their homes…. Britney certainly falls into that category…

There should be a self help group for those who are addicted to TMZ…… I would raise my hand and state…. “My name is Brian and I am addicted to the misery of others”… … Hello Brian…..

I have asked myself why I have become addicted to Britney’s daily doogles…… I really don’t have a secret crush on her or anything…. The only explanation I can think of is that I got to “hang out” with her and her posse totally by accident when she was celebrating her 21^st birthday in NYC many years ago….

I was in NYC on business trip. After arriving my plans were cancelled at the last second. I called a friend of mine, Marc Roberts who used to be a sports agent in NYC and was living in Miami. He set me up with this very interesting Jamaican guy named Unik who at that time was a well known party planner in NYC and currently owns a bar called PM In the garment district. (It apparently closed in January of this year).

Uniks as it so happens had been asked to set up a last minute party for Britney’s 21^st and took me a long as his guest. We started out at some restaurant sitting right next to George Clooney who was there with a few of his buddies.

After about 3 hours of drinking, we all stumbled over to this nightclub called Suite 16 Including George, and drank while we waited for Britney…… and we drank while we waited for Britney….. and we drank while we waited for Britney….

Britney finally shows up at about 5 in the morning. By that time the only train wreck in the room was me after drinking since 8 pm……. I even had a 8 am flight back to Dallas……

Britney comes in surrounded by the 3 biggest guys I have ever seen…. This was before it was in style for celebrities to have wiry ex-Israeli Secret Service (Mosad) as bodyguards. These were just huge bouncer type dudes…. They all gravitate to a roped off table where Justin Timberlake was already sitting with some friends. Britney did not appear happy he was there..…. She clearly didn’t want him there and threw a fit that would make even her current day antics seem tame. It got a great write up in the NY Post…… After watching her try to scratch Justin’s eyes out with nasty looks until he booked I decided the better part of valor was to get my stuff and get to the airport still drunk….

So ended my evening with Britney Spears. I even left my coat at the club…. Anyone have Justin’s address so I can get it back??