"Are you sorry?"

That sums up the case against Kwame Kilpatrick and his administration's running of Detroit. Reporter Charlie LeDuff asked the right question when the disgraced former mayor stepped out of the US District courthouse.

Convicted of numerous racketeering and corruption charges today, along with friend and partner Bobby Ferguson, Kilpatrick is looking at a significant prison term for his role in plundering Detroit.

And as the man always decries how his family feels and feigned a love of the people of Detroit, he should have answered the question. Of course, he didn't.

He may yet, though, if he is convinced of that apology helping him get out of prison any earlier.  But for a man who has stuck to his story for years, he may be unable to admit guilt and apologize.

It'll be interesting, does he admit it and apologize in order to get to that family sooner or does he keep the lie going and miss more of their upbringing?

Yes, we like the improved economy... or at least I do.

But I also like these stories, and I think most readers do, too:

A police officer fired after getting called out for lying under oath.

A judge under fire after his girlfriend arrested for drunken driving while he and daughter in car.

And a judge busted by a reporter (kudos WXYZ.com) for shady deals... how could she be so dumb, putting property in kids' names is one thing, but taking it back for your after short sale??? Greed (like hormones) = stupidity.


But I also like these stories, too:

Police: Footprints lead to impaired motorist following crash on I-75 in Troy

There's no way a jury will ever find Prof. Kwame Kilpatrick guilty of corruption, as the meek and mild former mayor could never have done all that he's accused of...... is one hope, I think, of the defendant's choice of bow tie and glasses as his stare-the-jury-in-the-eyes outfit.

Here is an account of the prosecutor's opening statements, alleging the former mayor's hunger to fill his deep pockets.

Even though most people think the case is a slam dunk, considering his honor's continued arrogance, we know it is anything but a sure win, considering co-defendant Bobby Ferguson's mistrial with an 11-1 hung jury.

My guess is the outfit doesn't work; in fact, it would do the opposite to me, make me wonder what he's hiding. But, again, it just takes one juror.

Photo is courtesy The Detroit News. 

Don't mean to be the snooty neighbor to the north, but what in the Dickens is going on down south, south of the Michigan-Ohio border that is?

Ohio's news has been weird, disturbing and exceptionally negative lately.

First, there's the exotic animal escape, which is wrong in so many levels. 1. Having so many exotic and dangerous animals. 2. Committing suicide. 3. After having RELEASED the animals. 4. Shooting and killing so many wonders of nature.

Now, I'm not critical of the shooting and killing. It had to be done. But what was that nut thinking? Did he intend to free the animals to live free? Did he intend to have them nearly all killed? Did he intend to kill or terrify his neighbors? So destructive and wasteful. And now the wife wants the couple that survived???? What are they drinking in that state?

Second, there's the nearly naked lady drunk and running from the police. Real classy, Ohio. Our strippers can walk a straight line (generally) and know to wear a coat when driving.

Third, there's the sexed up teacher, convicted of having sex with multiple male students. We in Oakland County have seen this story plenty of times, about a half dozen just in the past year or so. Men, women. Drama teachers, coaches, regular teachers. We know that this happens. But our teachers don't plead insanity; they just cry before they're sent to prison. And this lady in Ohio got just four years for something like five boys, victims really, while some our's get the same for contact with one victim.

Fourth, the deer getting rowdy at a bar. Enough said. We shoot our deer; we don't over-serve them.

Fifth, Joe the Plumber. Psst. His name's not Joe; how you gonna know how to vote for him?

Sixth, Jim Tressel and the fact that people in Ohio don't see what was wrong. Hey, we've got Kwame Kilpatrick and now Wayne County government, but the residents love watching the corruption busts and prison sentences. We are never stunned to learn of corruption and we enjoy the perp walks. We don't cry about losing a corrupt leader and lament his departure.

You can't blame all of this on LeBron James leaving.