The PW Camp

[Schmeelkie]

Called in last night and I was officially dismissed from jury duty. Woo Hoo! Not that I didn't want to serve, or that missing a couple of days of work would be so bad, but it would have been tough on husband who starts teaching next week (one is brand new class) and would have the burden of child care before and after school. Also, the whole, not knowing until 5:30 whether you have to report the next day or not was a bit nerve-wracking for me. I'm a planner - hate not knowing what's happening...

[Shapley]

There really has to be a way of streamlining the process. I realize that some things cannot be helped.

I was called a few months ago. I attended the selection process, along with about 199 others, taking time off from work to do so. We sat through the question-and-answer session as they slowly chose their jurors. I would guess that they interviewed about 48 before they chose their jurors and alternates. Some could probably have been weeded out before they arrived (such as the prosecutor's offspring) and the guy with the oxygen tank, but the process remained for the others. Fully 3/4 of us never even made it to the question-and-answer phase, but we lost a days' work, nonetheless.

They asked those of us that were willing to serve to leave our name at the clerk's desk and to return three weeks later, when selection for another jury would begin. I did both, arriving at the requested time and day. Lo and behold, they did not have my name on the list, as they had not bothered to call those who left their names, sending out a new list for about 200 more potential selectees. Those of us who showed up from the original call were sent home, but we missed another couple of hours of work. The courthouse in my home county is about an hour from my workplace.

That was only the second time I was called. The first time the case was dismissed before selection began, so I didn't have to show up.

[jamiebk]

I just received a jury summons for Superior Court in our County for 2/1/10. Last time I was seated was about 4 years ago...it was horrible. 6 weeks as an "alternate". Ultimately, I didn't even get to "vote" even though I had to sit through the whole thing. Interesting case though. Some guy raped a prostitute. The voting jury found him guilty as would I. Ironically the guy died of a heart attack in jail before he was sentenced. He was scum. The prostitute was pathetic...a mentally disabled girl living on the streets. She was the victim of prior head trauma and resulting brain damage. She had no job and was not really employable. She should have been in a care facility.

[Shapley]

The idea of a prostitute being raped strikes me as odd. Not to make light of her situation, it sounds as if she's had a tragic life, but I guess I would have thought of rape as a job hazard. I certainly wouldn't have thought of failure to pay as 'rape' so much as 'theft of services'. If it was, as Whoopi Goldberg would say "rape rape", then her status as a prostitute would be immaterial.

I realize, of course, that we generally refer to people by their profession, so 'raped a prostitute' is no different than saying 'raped a bartender' or 'raped a secretary', but it has an odd ring to it, sort of like stealing free newspapers, or pilfering from the refuse bin.

[jamiebk]

The idea of a prostitute being raped strikes me as odd. Not to make light of her situation, it sounds as if she's had a tragic life, but I guess I would have thought of rape as a job hazard. I certainly wouldn't have thought of failure to pay as 'rape' so much as 'theft of services'. If it was, as Whoopi Goldberg would say "rape rape", then her status as a prostitute would be immaterial.

I realize, of course, that we generally refer to people by their profession, so 'raped a prostitute' is no different than saying 'raped a bartender' or 'raped a secretary', but it has an odd ring to it, sort of like stealing free newspapers, or pilfering from the refuse bin.

He picked her up off the street and promised her food etc. By all accounts she was simply homeless and looking for help. She had sold herself before for necessities, and this guy offered her money, but she maintained that it was unconditional and that she told him that she did not want sex. He groped her and then became sexually forceful against her will. That was enough for me. As I said, the girl was essentially brain damaged and incapable of really managing herself...she acted quite "retarded" if I may use that word. As such, it would be hard to see how she could legally give consent (even if she had verbally). To the contrary, she viewed this man as a grandfatherly type who offered her help. He assumed that included sex. She made it clear that she did not want sex. He forced himself sexually upon her...rather violently...that's rape... end of story.

[Haggis@wk]

Every Thanksgiving our local radio station "The Crush" KRSH, plays Alice's restaurant long version at least 5-6 time throughout the day. I always try to find a way to tune in. You just gotta love it

Same thing here. I actually bought the album

[Shapley]

I agree. It would be, as Whoopi said "rape rape". That is to say, her profession or reputation or whatever as a prostitute is immaterial to the charges, she did not 'prostitute' herself to him, in the normal sense. It would appear to me that refering to her as a 'prostitute' would merely prejudice the jury, as it did me in the post.

Not to pick on you. I'm sure the term was employed by the defense in order to achieve that result.

[OperaTenor]

Every Thanksgiving our local radio station "The Crush" KRSH, plays Alice's restaurant long version at least 5-6 time throughout the day. I always try to find a way to tune in. You just gotta love it

Same thing here. I actually bought the album

+1

[Schmeelkie]

Can't believe Washington DC has had more snow this winter than we have here in Rochester, NY. Won't be winning the golden snowball award this year unless it picks up!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

... Won't be winning the golden snowball award ...

Okaaaaaaaay. That stopped my little brain dead in its tracks.

I have heard of golden snow, been advised to avoid it. And now the whole "golden" and "snowball" concepts are an award ?

I am going to go get a nice hot cup of tea and check my assumptions again. I must have gotten something wrong.

[Schmeelkie]

... Won't be winning the golden snowball award ...

Okaaaaaaaay. That stopped my little brain dead in its tracks.

I have heard of golden snow, been advised to avoid it. And now the whole "golden" and "snowball" concepts are an award ?

I am going to go get a nice hot cup of tea and check my assumptions again. I must have gotten something wrong.

The Golden Snowball award goes to the NY state city with the highest snowfall that winter. Generally Syracuse wins, Buffalo probably next most wins, then Rochester - depends where the lake effect sets up... offically Albany and NYC are in the running, but generally never get enough to be in the top three. Our newspaper keeps track of snowfall totals in Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo. It's not really a real competition (at one time someone did keep track and there was an actual award statue, but the city governments see it as a dubious award seem to try to ignore it), just something the meteorologists keep track of. Of course, if you took a town in the Tug Hill Plateau (the area directly to the east of the end of Lake Ontario), they would blow the cities out of the water each year (Rochester averages 100 inches a winter, it's AT LEAST double that at Tug Hill).

[Haggis@wk]

Heh. Why pirate DVDs are better




the original is here.

[piqaboo]

I hate all the stupid stuff they put in when you click to go to the menu.
I want the menu ferpetessake, not a mini-scene.

[jamiebk]

I hate all the stupid stuff they put in when you click to go to the menu.
I want the menu ferpetessake, not a mini-scene.

Especially when we are paying $18-20.00 for these DVD's!

[Schmeelkie]

All the junk at the beginning of DVDs drives my husband crazy. He will literally yell at the TV. To me, this is the way it is, you just have to figure a way around it. So, I will often stick in a DVD, watch the weather channel for a few minutes, randomly pressing the menu button, then change the channel. I miss a lot of junk and at least just start at the menu. We have a few DVDs that will ask if you want widescreen or full screen after you've pressed 'play movie' - that annoys me, but I know it's coming now. sometimes you can skip the stuff at the beginning before the actual movie starts by going to 'select scene' and picking the second one - works for a few of our movies...

[Haggis@wk]

I know my limitations, and I know I can’t compete with nude women curling.

[Schmeelkie]

Depending on who you listen to, we're in for 6-12 to 8-16 inches of snow between this am and Friday noon. Just about an inch so far. So we'll get back to where we should be - far above Washington DC. Though this will hit Syracuse too and they're already 10-20 inches above us this year...

[Haggis@wk]

National PI day is coming soon. Here's what you need the 4 ft × 8 ft poster displaying the first million decimal digits of π.

[jamiebk]

National PI day is coming soon. Here's what you need the 4 ft × 8 ft poster displaying the first million decimal digits of π.

I want one for my nerdy nephew.

[Haggis@wk]

Darth Monet