Crime and Punishment

Retired baseball player Barry Bonds lied to a judge about taking steroids. That's a no-no, and to prove it, his punishment is that Barry has to stay at home for a whole month! But since he has earned $188 million during his career-- which turns out to have been fueled by the illegal substance-- I'm betting he has a pretty comfy crib. (I wonder if he's allowed to order takeout.)

On the other hand, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who engaged in dirty politics like they all do but got caught, has to go to prison for fourteen years, and will not even be eligible for parole for more than 11 years. I'm pretty sure he won't be ordering Chinese.

The disparity of their punishments seems unfair, especially when you consider that O. J. Simpson went free despite killing two human beings, but is now serving a 33-year prison term for breaking into a motel room and stealing back some of his own sports memorabilia. And Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician who was following the orders of his superstar client and administered too much of a potent drug, will be behind bars in an overcrowded county jail for four years.

This is one nutty country we live in.