March 04, 2024 | Read Online

Good morning. It's Monday, March. 04, and we're covering fearing for life in prison, Gov. Hochul begs Biden for relief, NFL tested technology, and much more. First time reading? Sign up here.

American Fact of the Day!

Wyoming: Islands Galore - For a land-locked state, Wyoming has an amazing number of islands within its borders. Most of the 32 named islands are split between Yellowstone Lake, Green River, and Jackson Lake. Yellowstone Lake sits within the National Park and holds the record for the largest high-elevation lake in North America. Jackson Lake flows through Grand Teton National Park, while the Green River stretches over 730 miles from the northern Wind River Mountain Range to the Utah border.

Breaking Updates

Sam Bankman-Fried's Parents Say They Fear for His Life in Prison

Sam Bankman-Fried's parents fear for their son's life if he's sentenced to a "typical prison environment." In a plea to the court ahead of his sentencing, Stanford Law professor Barbara Fried warned that he will be in "extreme danger" in prison due to his lack of ability to read social cues.

She wrote:

I genuinely fear for Sam's life in the typical prison environment. It may be that some of the inmates will come to appreciate Sam once they get to know him. But miscommunication in that environment is dangerous, and Sam's traits greatly increase the likelihood of its occurring.

Barbara added that her son "can seem odd and off-putting to people that don't know him" and "has a number of mannerisms that are associated with high-functioning people with [Austism Spectrum Disorder]".

His father, Joseph Bankman, who is also a Stanford professor, wrote in his own letter that his son would be in "significant physical danger" if handed a lengthy sentence. "Nothing he has done can justify putting him at that risk," Bankman wrote.

Earlier this month, a photo released of Bankman-Fried behind bars showed an extremely sorry looking figure who apparently was not showing regularly.

The disgraced crypto king has been held at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since August. He had initially been placed under house arrest, although was later remanded to custody over allegations that he was engaged in witness tampering.

His parents' pleas come ahead of his sentencing later this month. Despite facing up to 110 years in prison, his lawyers are seeking a far more lenient sentence, arguing that decades in prison would be a "grotesque" and "barbaric" punishment that is disproportionate to the severity of the crimes committed by his client.

NYC Mayor Adams Says Free Debit Cards for Illegal Aliens 'A Big Win'; Gov. Hochul Begs Biden for 'Relief'

If you wanted to entice a certain population, let's say, just for the sake of argument, illegal immigrants, to travel some distance to your city, how would you go about it? New York City Mayor Eric Adams seems to have hit on one way to do that: hand out free, pre-loaded debit cards.

It's hard to think of a more ridiculous and almost schizophrenic policy; Mayor Adams is simultaneously offering fancy hotel rooms and free cash to what he terms "migrants'—what anyone sane terms "illegal aliens"—while bemoaning the load these people place on his city's resources.

Mayor Adams makes the rather astonishing claim that New York City is saving $600,000 a month by giving illegal aliens pre-paid debit cards that can be used at bodegas, supermarkets, and convenience stores.

The proper amount to be spent on these "migrants," as Mayor Adams terms them, is zero. It's hard to see any argument for making these people, who broke our laws by entering the United States, effectively wards of the state and a burden on the taxpayers. In what moral universe is the regular taxpayer in New York City responsible for supporting people who remain in defiance of immigration law?

New York Governor Kathy Hochul says New Yorkers need relief from illegal immigration as her administration opens welfare programs to undocumented immigrants. While previously touting immigrants filling jobs, Hochul now says the 175,000 arrivals since 2022 have overwhelmed resources.

American Sports & Culture

Blake Snell leads 'Boras Four' awaiting MLB landing spots

Teams apparently see flaws beyond what we do, surprisingly so in the case of reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell.

NFL tested technology to track 1st downs during games including Super Bowl: reports

While the technology is not reportedly ready for the 2024 season, the NFL tested optical tracking to determine line-to-gain rulings during games last season including the Super Bowl.

LeBron James becomes first player in NBA history to score 40,000 career points

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has become the first player in NBA history to score 40,000 career points, accomplishing the milestone on Saturday during the team's home game against the Denver Nuggets.