G'Day Mate

Figured I'd have fun subjects for my links for this week as I try to ease back into the work world...

-This Vanity Fair article gives a really great, in-depth, personal look at some of Madoff's most intimate betrayals including that of Brandeis donor, Carl Shapiro. Very sad indeed. Madoff's accountant just got charged with fraud (H/T Wendy)

-You have to read from the bottom to the top to get this article, but it's pretty cool to see the iPhone OS 3.0 recap by engadget. It's about $10 for iPod Touch users like me but I need to figure out if it's worth the money since I don't have the internet connection needed to fully enjoy some of these features. I'll probably give in and pay it anyways...

-Sad week of news: Ron Silver's death (I went to high school with his daughter so my sympathies go out), Natasha Richardson's accident (and the misreporting by Time Out New York from someone I went to college with), and Don Imus' cancer revelation (though I guess it explains why he's always sick). 

-News today that Aaron "f***ing" Boone has to have open heart surgery. As someone who both witnessed him open up Red Sox fans and rip their collective hearts out and who had open heart surgery myself, I wish him the best of luck in recovery. Though if he had never gotten injured that offseason, the Yankees would have never traded for A-rod....

-This is not the way to resign

-Some good articles from our readers: jobless lawyers are now turning to doing good (H/T Ari), an Iraqi fan killed a soccer player (H/T Paul), a calculator to figure out your lifespan (H/T Wendy), a Sarah Silverman New York Times shoot in Marc Jacobs-esque style (H/T Sarah), and Jos. A Bank will be giving suit refunds to customers who get laid off--and they get to keep the suit! (H/T Wendy)

-CBS Sportsline has some bracket science for all you entering our pool (don't forget to enter here) giving you the anatomy of an upset (H/T Paul). The upset is the toughest thing to pick because you know it'll happen but if you pick a 12 seed going to the Final 4 and they lose in the first round, your bracket is officially busted.

-Michael Strahan will try to be intentionally funny. I already teased this on the blog, but this just has failure written all over it. Mr. Strahan is no "Hanging With Mr. Cooper"

-President Obama nominated Steelers owner Dan Rooney to be the ambassador to Ireland on St. Patty's Day after the Steelers won the Super Bowl. I doubt it had anything to do with his endless campaigning for Obama in a huge swing state...

-Well I don't love my job...but at least I don't work for Lenny Dykstra
-This is one way to get those AIG bonuses back...though the stock actually went up 66% on the day that news was released. FiveThirtyEight tries to explain why (though they also argue that while it may hold up constitutionally, taking back the bonuses would be a huge undermining of the rule of law).

-RealClearSports used St. Patty's day to talk about the Top 10 luckiest in sports

-So now NBA players are Twittering during halftime?

-Current Giants linebacker, Danny Clark, went to the Middle East to cheer up troops (he seems like a really good guy from everything I've read). Former Giants linebacker, Dhani Jones, is traveling for a whole different reason (and a nice job by the Giants letting him go...)

-I would have never guess this guy has more goals than Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla or Evgeni Malkin (or any player on the Rangers)

-Lastly, some good scouting reports for two Yankees who I really like in this Jayson Stark article:

Brett Gardner, Yankees (.393, 6 SB): Gardner is involved in a center-field competition with Melky Cabrera. But even though Cabrera is hitting .375, it's Gardner's stock that continues to rise: "If he just does the things he's done down here, he'll help that team," said one AL scout. "They should just put him out there, let him run and inject some speed in that lineup."

Phil Coke, Yankees (1-0, 2.25 ERA, 8 IP, 1 BB, 6 K's): Coke was the guy who almost got dealt to the Pirates in the Xavier Nady/Damaso Marte trade in July 2008. But he's starting to emerge as a guy who could win a bullpen job right now. "I love that kid," said an AL scout. "He can help them. He shows no fear."