Ricardo Francis Scarpino bragged about sometimes carrying around $100,000 in poker winnings and wearing a diamond-encrusted Rolex watch that would earn him envious stares in downtown nightclubs. But the Vancouver gangster, who was gunned down Saturday night, also claimed in court documents that he wasn't having difficulties with anyone.

These Sports Pairs Don't Try to Show the Love

Valentine's Day is the time of year to stop and appreciate the relationships that you value in life. Not just boyfriends or girlfriends, but also mothers, fathers, brothers — and perhaps most importantly — grandmothers. In the world of sports, Valentine's Day is a time to appreciate the sports relationships in life that are just meant to be. However, some sports couples just don't make it, so let's reexamine some of the sports break-ups that are truly regrettable.

In his famous ballad “Country Roads," famous folk-musician John Denver describes West Virginia as “almost heaven." If this is really the case, Rich Rodriguez — the Mountaineers' former football head man — really has made a big mistake. Rodriguez dumped his alma mater and employer of the past seven years for possible glory and tradition at football-crazy Michigan.

Entries for February 2008

Let's start Monday morning with a dose of pessimism. First, here's the dour outlook of economists surveyed by the National Association for Business Economics. Although fewer than half—45 percent—think the United States will suffer a recession this year, the numbers still stink. On average, 49 economists surveyed expect the economy to grow just 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2008, followed by 1 percent growth in the second quarter.

Next, a Bloomberg story speculates that any pickup in growth later this year from the combo of Fed rate cuts and the fiscal stimulus package will soon fade, "leaving the economy vulnerable to its underlying weaknesses: a retrenching financial industry, indebted consumers and slowing productivity growth." The story then quotes Credit Suisse economist Neal Soss as predicting the economy will grow 1.3 percent this year and just 1.5 percent next.

Edison police seek help in attempted lurings

Edison police are asking the public for help in finding two drivers who allegedly attempted to lure girls into their vehicles in two separate incidents reported Thursday.

At 3:40 p.m., an 11-year-old girl was walking home from John Marshall Elementary School when she stopped to cross the intersection of Marshal Drive and Lexington Avenue, and a man in a brown or gray four-door car repeatedly waved for her to come to his vehicle, police said.

Xenophobe: Warrior Princess

I know this pretty little lady. She's got a hot little husband and an adorable little boy. They are a sweet Maine family - picture perfect - including the little bun she's got growing in her oven. I call them little because they're diminutive. She barely clears five feet and he's maybe six inches taller. I don't know, maybe I'm "sizeist" but their smaller-than-average stature just adds to their allure.It adds to the surprise factor, too, when you find that they're xenophobic.

The other day she struck up a conversation with me about wanting to send the immigrants home. I asked her what tribe she was from, like the Penobscot or maybe one from away like the Cherokee. Mind you, I don't smile when I ask this - my standard rebuttal question - but for some reason every time I ask it, the person I'm asking laughs like I'm kidding.

Absolutely Drabio

It was a very strange night, but an interesting one nonetheless.

First things first, it was nice not to have a pre-match interview with McClaren. You know, the one that left you feeling a bit like youd eaten too many Quality Street.

This bloke Capello doesn't do grins. You're more likely to get a smile out of an undertakers cat.

Secondly, everyone at the Blue Bell looked at the team-sheet and said 'Brown! Upson! JENAS!!!!' and then just shrugged. 'Cos we realised the new man had been doing his homework and that the team on the pitch were the ones who had played the best when he was there.

Actually I was beginning to think the only reason JJ was ever in a squad was because he was always willing to caddie of a Thursday.

However, the first half was rank.

a clarification please...

The big message out of the suspension of Governor Romney's campaign for President is the people's revolt against the punditry that shoved his candidacy down their throats. Conservative bloggers, radio hosts and opinion leaders have been unabashedly promoting Mitt Romney as their candidate by unprecedented personal attacks on John McCain and Mike Huckabee and their accusations that these candidates are “liberal." They forgot all about their role as analysts and commentators and became advocates. Actually, their attitude was more than a little condescending and patronizing; they seemed to say “we know what we're talking about so just take our word for it and go out there and vote the way we tell you to vote."

The American public doesn't take orders very well. They felt like they were being steamrolled.