Pretty cool way to go through the history of your country
Bad Day at the Office
Random Walker Texas Ranger
An Oldie but a Goodie (remember Triumph)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
12 Angry Men We're Not
A jury of your peers. My wife was telling me she was doing a project with her students asking them to figure out how to select a jury of peers. So I jokingly told her that I would just select 12 white guys. The idea of "a jury of your peers" is almost as ridiculous as "innocent until proven guilty". Her class, in their 40 minute session, put more effort in figuring out a jury of peers than the actual judicial system.
A couple of years ago, I got this little letter in the mail summoning me to Jury Duty. I went to serve my one day in a room of strangers waiting to be called on to do their civic duty. Unfortunately for me, I was actually called and was selected to be on a jury of a case of a man suing his bank (the actual amount of money was about $15k, and the poor man was representing himself). The biggest thing I remember is being inconvenienced and annoyed for three days having to listen to someone struggle through presenting his case, and the loser lawyer for the bank stinking at his job. I wanted them both to lose. Not because of the facts of the case, but that their little dispute about a closed or open account was inconveniencing my life.
But during the proceedings I was thinking about how I am this guys peer. The only thing we may have had in common is that we both paid our taxes. He was representing himself, spoke with a heavy accent and mumbled. So the fact that I had to strain to hear what he was saying made me dislike him. The lawyer for the Bank seemed like an arrogant jerk. But he was a mumbling jerk who thought he was the smartest guy in the room. When we were finally deliberating the case in the Jury Room, I looked around at the rest of the jury. We were a good mix of people; a microcosm of the area we were from. But what happens when a black man is accused of a crime in a very white area. Where are his peers? How can they relate to him, or understand what he has gone through. Do they understand his culture, his words, or the meaning of his actions?
Obviously the answer is they can't, because they are really not "a jury of peers", they are just tax payers doing a civic duty. Now, let's add another layer to this. If someone is arrested, do we really view them as innocent until a jury of their peers finds them guilty? The answer is that it is very difficult to assume someone is innocent until proven guilty within the justice system. If someone was truly innocent until proven guilty would they be detained in police custody through their trial?
Now, I know the practical matters of why the police do this, however it leads to other rights being given up. There are American citizens who are in custody today without charge. No date for a trial coming up. Nothing. They are just gone, disappeared off the face of the Earth. I am pretty sure this is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote this and this.
A couple of years ago, I got this little letter in the mail summoning me to Jury Duty. I went to serve my one day in a room of strangers waiting to be called on to do their civic duty. Unfortunately for me, I was actually called and was selected to be on a jury of a case of a man suing his bank (the actual amount of money was about $15k, and the poor man was representing himself). The biggest thing I remember is being inconvenienced and annoyed for three days having to listen to someone struggle through presenting his case, and the loser lawyer for the bank stinking at his job. I wanted them both to lose. Not because of the facts of the case, but that their little dispute about a closed or open account was inconveniencing my life.
But during the proceedings I was thinking about how I am this guys peer. The only thing we may have had in common is that we both paid our taxes. He was representing himself, spoke with a heavy accent and mumbled. So the fact that I had to strain to hear what he was saying made me dislike him. The lawyer for the Bank seemed like an arrogant jerk. But he was a mumbling jerk who thought he was the smartest guy in the room. When we were finally deliberating the case in the Jury Room, I looked around at the rest of the jury. We were a good mix of people; a microcosm of the area we were from. But what happens when a black man is accused of a crime in a very white area. Where are his peers? How can they relate to him, or understand what he has gone through. Do they understand his culture, his words, or the meaning of his actions?
Obviously the answer is they can't, because they are really not "a jury of peers", they are just tax payers doing a civic duty. Now, let's add another layer to this. If someone is arrested, do we really view them as innocent until a jury of their peers finds them guilty? The answer is that it is very difficult to assume someone is innocent until proven guilty within the justice system. If someone was truly innocent until proven guilty would they be detained in police custody through their trial?
Now, I know the practical matters of why the police do this, however it leads to other rights being given up. There are American citizens who are in custody today without charge. No date for a trial coming up. Nothing. They are just gone, disappeared off the face of the Earth. I am pretty sure this is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote this and this.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
...and we're back
I am looking to buy a new car. Once upon a time, I loved car shopping. I used to walk into dealerships and sales people used to fall over. Finance managers would get fired. Sales managers would cry. I could get any deal I wanted, any time. But, this new round of shopping, I can't seem to get what I want. Is it because I'm still trying to negotiate prices based on the last time I got a car? Is it possible I lost my mojo?
Highly unlikely.
I am not quite sure what's going on, but I am going to get a car this week, and I am going to get it at my number. Even if I have to settle for a Honda Civic, my number will be hit (and no, Civic is not my number one option; or any option). I am regrouping today, and I am going to unleash hell on the car dealerships tomorrow. The game face is coming back on, the entrance theme is coming back out. This time there will be no mercy. I have three cars I found that fit into what I want to do. And if I can't make a deal with any of those three, I deserve to drive a Civic (not that there is anything wrong with a Civic, except they suck).
Get ready for war, get ready for pain, get ready for a nice shiny new car in my garage... I hope
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Devastation of the Quake
Watching some of the images coming out of Japan of the utter destruction that the quake and tsunami caused, I couldn't help but think of the serious worldwide effects this would have. Am I going to be able to still get my favorite sushi roll and soy sauce? If there is a worldwide shortage, can we make sure I get the first batch of soy sauce at least? The article states :
A possible shortage of Kikkoman would be felt in Israel. "About 85% of the soy sauce used in Israel is Kikkoman. This is a very unusual figure in the world," Afriat says. "Israeli chefs feel very connected to this product. After the tsunami I received phone calls from hysterical people fearing a shortage of Kikkoman."
Is someone going to step up to the plate and make sure the world does not run out of soy sauce? If I have to have my spicy crab roll without my favorite soy sauce I also may become hysterical. Never mind that there is a nuclear meltdown underway; forget about 15,000 people dead or missing (and the number is rising) get me my damn soy sauce, because I have an occupation to maintain.
I interviewed local legend Muhammad Fahmy and he said, "I'm with Israel on this one. The nerve of people questioning the validity of their argument is absurd". And if Muhammad Fahmy said it, it must be the truth, so I guess I really have nothing else to say.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Dark Days
"My God so they are killers. I've heard lots of people say once a man's a killer, they just keep on killing and killing; they sort of develop a taste for blood".
This old movie quote is the best thing I can think of right now. Qaddafi has announced that they are going to attack Benghazi, and show no mercy (story). The BBC has also reported that bombing has already begun. So this is what it comes to. The genocide is going to happen and few will take notice. The people went to the street to demand their freedoms and rights. Qaddafi escalated it into a civil war with violence. And now, he will attempt to murder everyone who stands up to him. What is interesting to me is how the international community continues to be on the wrong side of history. Their lack of action and lack of urgency is troublesome. They were on the wrong side of history with Mubarak. They supported him publicly until it was evident he had lost control of the country. Now they are silent while a madman butchers his own people.
I am reminded of the Edmund Burke quote "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is good men to do nothing".
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