Madoff's new best friend

I do not think it a shining example of professional media ethics to write that two people are friends when you haven't spoken to either of them. I could write more but planting a camera or two in any newsroom would be a much better show, if you ask me.

Bit touchy of you there, Mr Medad. Did Shiloh lose out when Madoff made off with the cash?

a) dear rabbak (for the rest of you, it's an Arab curse meaning you're bad from way back when) - nope. no money lost. but our Arab neighbors just cut down some olive tress at Adei-Ad thanks to an article by Gideon Levy in Haaretz on Friday.

b) and I was asked to pass this along to Miriam:

I don't think in prision that anyone is anyone's "closest friend." Jonathan cannot "hang around" with anyone; neither can Madoff. All the prisoners have to go to work - 7:30 am to 5:30 pm or longer. When you have to dodge the Ayrian Brotherhood, Black Muslims, etc.., Bernie Madoff doesn't sound so bad. Maybe you should ask her to spend ONE DAY in Jonathan's shoes and see how she does. What an *** she is to write this garbage. Who is he supposed to converse with. Jonathan's whole day is also devoted to dodging shanks (homemade weapons), homosexuals on the make, drug addicts, as well as corrupt guards. I've spent a lot of time in various federal prisons. I dare say good old Miriam has not. Please tell her for me she should be ashamed of herself.

This criticism is absurd. The entry clearly starts out by stating "According to AP" - Miriam is not making any assertion that she has any personal knowledge about these friendships. Nor is there any indication that she is judging Mr. Pollard or Mr. Madoff - she is simply passing on information (from a reputable source) that her readers might find interesting.

In fact, AP's information comes from a lawyer who interviewed Madoff for a lawsuit by his victims. It is all in the court documents - which I have. The original clearly states: "He now spends time with former Colombo crime family boss Carmine Persico and Jonathan Pollard, who was convicted of spying for Israel".

Tamara, if it was a straight AP duplication, I'd admit that you are correct. But, as we say, that isn't the case.

a) If I was editor, the headline should have been: "AP: Pollard and Madoff Friends". In writing "best friend", Miriam makes an assumption.

b) That AP report is actually from Haaretz, as per the link. Haaretz writes "closest friend". The AP report doesn't have that phrase but this "Madoff spends time with Carmine Persico, a reputed Colombo crime family boss, and Jonathan Pollard,"
(http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h9EbhKy-ltWIrTzK9_i1Qy...).

c) what it also does have though is this: "Telephones for spokespeople for the Federal Bureau of Prisons rang unanswered Tuesday night; the agency's records do show Pollard and Persico are housed at Butner." which means that there is no official confirmation of any friendship: close, best or otherwise. In fact, Miriam can't prove they even met!

If I could collect that in 15 minutes, Miriam easily could have. She's a journalist, professionally. I just criticize them or kibbitz them.

And again, no meanness on my part, just pointing out a fault. If I am wrong, please prove so.

And a very gut shabbes to all.