Imagine What It Would Be

If we weren't there to help. According to a new study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Columbia University School of Nursing, and Al-Mustansiriya University more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died due to violence since the war began. And they tell us we're there to help the Iraqi people. What? They needed help with population control? Gimme a break? We're over there to help American corporations and to scare the Bejesus out of Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Well, I THOUGHT She Was My Wife

An American on a flight to the Phillipines was detained and denied entry into the country after a woman complained he was sexually harrassing her. She just happened to be the Governor of Mindoro, an island in the country. He later said he had become confused and thought the woman was his wife. What the hell was he trying to do, have sex in the lavatory?

Food Fight

Taiwanese members of Parliament get down with a food fight. If only our Congress could get Tom DeLay involved in one!

Now THAT Would Be Something to See!

A coalition of political parties in Chile have asked the Chilean Court of Appeals in Santiago to issue arrest warrants for George W Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld. They want them tried for crimes against humanity for Abu Ghraib torture. Bush is supposed to visit Chile for a summit in the near future. Bring 'em on!

The Netherlands Prepares to Invade the US

I was driving home yesterday on I-35 when I noticed a most unusual thing. There was a white GMC Savannah van traveling north with large black lettering on the sides that said, "Royal Netherlands Air Force." Toward the rear of the van was more lettering that said, "Apache Training Detachment." Inside the van were 5 people. Two men in the front and two women in the second seat, with what looked to be a child in between the two women. None of them had on any kind of uniform, except the man in the passenger's seat had on an orange shirt. Maybe that was some kind of uniform (orange is sort of the Dutch national color), but I didn't see any epaulets or medals. So, what's going on? Is this some kind of advance team sent over here to scope things out? Is the Netherlands planning some kind of post-election invasion while were occupied trying to count the votes? I'm worried.

I'll Kill Myself If You Convict Me

Michael Jackson's family is trotting out a story that "The King of Pop" will kill himself if he's convicted of child molestation. Is that what they call preparing the Jury pool? Give me a break!

Pornostar in Campo

Pornostar in Campo, originally uploaded by Marcos Arroyos.

Here in the U.S. we always have unattractive male streakers at sports events. Now, those Europeans...

Not Exactly 12 Angry Men

It was more like 3 confused men and 3 confused women. I was on a jury in the County Court at Law #2 in Williamson County, Texas. Since it was a county court, it had 6 instead of 12 members. This is like my tenth time to be called for jury duty, and the 3rd time Ive actually been selected. What have I done to deserve this? Don't answer that!!!

This time I was on a family violence case. It was a 21 year old guy and an 18 year old girl who were common law married. Get this, they had 3 kids when it happened in August of '03. They now have 4 kids, and she's going to turn 20 on Halloween Day. We acquitted him, because there was a "reasonable doubt." The girl said one thing on the day and another thing on the stand. They did not put her written statement into evidence from the day it happened. The only thing we had was her testimony today and the cop's. Anyway, she took the stand and took the 5th. Yes, she took the 5th amendment! She was afraid that she would be prosecuted for perjury or lying to a police officer. She had a court-appointed attorney who advised her to take the 5th. So, the prosecutor had to find her to get her served a subpoena, then she gets to the stand and takes the 5th. They rush us out of the courtroom while they all argue about it. So, when we return she's still on the stand, and is now willing to testify, because she has been given immunity from prosecution for perjury. Which I think she proceeded to commit, but was immune from prosecution. Anyway, there was story A and story B. When it happened she refused any treatment or even examination by EMS, so there was no medical type evidence of her injuries. There were some photos of scratches on her arms and one on her neck, but she says she doesn't remember how that happened. She says she punched the guy in the nose causing him a bloody nose (I believe this part), and that the blood on the floor and the walls is from that. It actually seems more plausible than blood from her scratches. Anyway, it was VERY confusing, and so we had reasonable doubt. After it was over and we had acquitted him, we find out that he is already in prison for bank robbery. He was the guy that was holding up banks in Cedar Park. He had held up several and gotten away with it for a while. They had to get him out of prison to come stand trial on this charge. He has other charges pending on Family Violence. The judge came to us afterward and said that if he had heard the case he would have done the same thing. He just felt there was reasonable doubt.

It's been quite a couple of days! That makes the 3rd time I've been on a jury, and the first time that I was jury foreman. What an honor.

Anxiety, Fear, and Depression

A new study in China reveals that 22% of children there suffer from behavioral and emotional problems. They feel it is due to the traditionalist kind of education, and the "only child" policy in China. No wonder I'm so fucked up! I'm an only child at 53.

Jury Duty

Yes, again. For a few years there while I wasn't registered to vote, I quit having to go to jury duty. I was getting called every year, and sometimes more than once a year. I have lost count of how many times I've been called. Anyway, I got called again. Today was the day. I have been assigned to a jury panel to be convened on Thursday in a County Court at Law. Those courts are kinda like Triple-A baseball. It's still the minor leagues, but it's just short of the majors. Last time, I got called to a Justice of the Peace Court which isn't even a court of record, for God's sake! Talk about minor league!

A court of record means that when you appeal there is a record of all the evidence presented, and it's put under review. But, when a case is appealed from a court that is not a court of record, everything starts over, as if the first trial never happened. So, I was on a jury in a JP court and we found the guy guilty. But, he appealed, and all we did was irrelevant. At least on Thursday, our efforts won't just be for naught.

Hey, He Wanted to Die!

A medical team in Colorado has been charged with homicide for removing the organs of a transplant "donor" before he was actually dead. He had tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head, but the medical examiner says he wasn't dead yet. Well, I guess he is now!

New Name for Dumpster Diving

Here it is: Freegan! Are they serious? Hmmm...I'm gonna have to think about this.

There's No Fool Like an Old Fool

Billy Joel got married to a 23 year old. She's just 32 years younger.

Florida: Still the Banana Republic

According to Jimmy Carter, election observer extraordinaire, Florida still doesn't have what it takes to ensure a clean election.

It's Raining Crucifixes!

A 72 year old Italian woman was killed in San Onofrio while walking down the street. A crucifix fell from above and killed her. It had been loosened by restorations to the monument it stood on.

But, But, What If the Prostitute Is a Man?

The US Military has adopted a new policy making it an offense to use the services of a prostitute. The change is an effort to stop trafficking in women forced into prostitution near US military bases overseas. I suppose it would be okay to traffic in men.

Let This Be a Sign Unto You

Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan are God's message to Florida and the South. He did not vote for Bush. Would you call it karma?

Cell Phone on a Motorcycle?

Yes, at least in Italy. Now you can get a helmet with a wireless cell phone built in.

Oh, The Life of a Revolutionary!

The leaders of two rival guerrilla groups in Peru are in the same prison with life sentences. One of them proposed peace talks with the government. Due to that he got special privileges. He gets to have his girlfriend come "visit" him each night. The other one gets to listen. Well...he's heard enough! Now he's complaining that they only let his mother and sister come to visit him. Poor guy...but what did he expect?

SHGb02+14a

Not the most exciting or descriptive of names, but that's the name for the place that scientists have received radio signals from. Maybe it's them!