Res Ipsa Loquitur

Hurray!

Hurray!

I had some great news waiting for me when I got home. The juvenile prosecutor & I did a 6 day jury trial back in March, terminating a parent's rights to 3 of the sweetest little girls you ever saw. The parent had appealed the termination, and the prosecutor & I had written a joint brief arguing that the termination was necessary and done correctly according to Oklahoma law.

Not only did the appeals court agree with us, but also quoted much of our brief in its opinion. I love it when that happens. The court also stated as a further basis for their opinion that the children's attorney (me) argued vigorously in favor of the termination. I sointantly did.

So three cheers for the good guys. We won another one.

The Substitute

The Substitute Blogger... Exit... Stage right!

The boss is back and I will surrender this space back to her.

Adieu, adieu...

Mike S

I'm Baaack!

I'm Baaack!

God, it's good to be home. We got in really late last night, since our connecting flight out of DFW was CANCELLED and we were re-booked on a much later flight. Spent a good hour of high stress until we found out for sure that we wouldn't have to spend the night at the airport.

All in all, a good trip, got to spend some time with my son before he shipped out to Japan, which he's doing today.

But, oh Auntie Em, there's no place like home.

Give Me A Freakin'

Give Me A Freakin' Break...

Paul Krugman weighs in with this tripe about bias in the media...

Talk about your deaf, dumb and blind boy... after spending his formative years reading the propaganda that passes for news under the New York Times masthead it's small wonder that he thinks Mao was a centrist...

Paul, this is how the game is played... cover the stories that advance your agenda... it is that simple... you and the Times have been doing that forever... long before you wrote your first byline this game was afoot...

Now that other media outlets have adopted your style, you scream like a ten-year-old who's little sister figured out that you have been cheating at checkers and you think she is cheating back... this isn't cheating... you changed the rules... you act as if the changed rules are only for you...

wrong...

It's all about who's ox is being gored...

Paul, we have your ox, it's aging in the cooler and the butchers are sharpening their knives... we would invite you to the barbeque but we just don't like you... you whine way too much

So, to the folks at Fox and and all the media joining the VRWC , keep up the good work.

It's pissin' Paul off so it's got to be good.

Das GoreBot

Das GoreBot

The Gore Boy is now whining about how all the media is against him. How sad. Pitiful actually. Gore that is...

The lefties had a hammer-lock on the media for years and once America found (or created) an alternative, the mainstream had to shift to the right or accept a major loss of viewers. Since the networks are nominally capitalistic organizations there is no way they can accept loss of viewers (=loss of revenues) so this shift that the GoreBot complains about occurred.

Nevermind that most major media outlets are still just to the right of Karl Marx and much farther left-of-center than a large percentage of America. If they are not spouting his line, if they insist on giving both sides of the story, the media has become a propaganda organ for the VRWC.

Thankfulness

Thankfulness

I was asked today what I am thankful for and the first thing that popped into my mind was ...

Rita

I am the luckiest guy in the world. I had given up on ever finding a woman who could tolerate my odd nature... I accepted a long time ago that I am not normal, that I see the world through a different window... and that most women just could not live with the way I am different. I have tried repeatedly but it always came down to...

"If you loved me you wouldn't be so... you!"

Rita has never even hinted that I should be anyone other than myself. She does not tolerate my quirks, she does not love me in spite of those traits. It's those things that endear me to her. How odd, the very same things that drove others to drink and worse are the things that make her smile. I have never been so comfortable in the presence of another person.

I think she is smarter than me and she thinks I am smarter than her and we treat each other like that, both of us looking up to the other. Every day she teaches me something I didn't know, explains something I didn't understand.

I have decided that our love is like an expensive pair of handmade Italian loafers.

It's like walking barefoot but the stones don't hurt your feet.

Like I said, I am the luckiest guy in the world...

Nasty Email

Nasty Email

I've gotten some nasty virii via email lately... damn good thing I keep my email client updated and locked down...

I got an .hta attachment, a couple of .exe's ... oddly, I never got these til I started posting comments on a few blogs... porn spam, morgage spam, penis enlargement spam, hell, I even get Nigerian "Help me steal some Government Money" spam on a regular basis... I like those... those folks are so sincere... I've been online with the same nom de plume for ten years... a few different providers but mikkidee all the same...

but virii? Not till recently...

So, when you get weird email, remember to ask, "What would mikkidee do?"

1 - If your email client supports a preview pane, disable it.
2 - Get an anti-virus program and keep the virus definition file up-to-date.
3 - No matter who they come from, do not open any attachment with the extension of .hta or .exe
4 - Before opening other attachments, make sure you know who they came from and that they meant send it to you.
5 - Scan your email with your AV program.

I am considering leaving a "honeypot" email address on my posts from this point forward... so if someone is harvesting email addresses from postings and sending nasty emails I can track them down.

I know what to do to folk that send virii when I find them... can you say felony?... Say hello to Agent Frank.

The Empty House

The Empty House

All have abandoned the homestead save Sollie, Sassy and I. Woe is me...

Rita just called from DFW... fighting her way outside to have a smoke...

The Daughter hates to fly. She gets all tense and jumpy...so when the pilot slowed the plane by extending the flaps, the Daughter gasped and Rita looked up and said:

"Uh oh... the pilot must have seen a cop"

Dallas is infamous for its speed traps... and 400mph is a bit over the limit. I wonder if he was wearing his seatbelt? That one's good for an extra $25 here in Arkansas.

See Ya

See Ya

My sis is here, so we'll be leaving soon. Mike will guest posting while I'm gone, for something completely different. Enjoy, and I'll be back late Friday night.

Challenge

Challenge

While taking a shower, I was pondering what song John Ashcroft should sing. A truly evil idea popped into my brain, in light of MoDo's recent columns about how she missed John Ashcroft while in Saudi Arabia, and how her middle-aged friends are all ga-ga over Eminem. What Should John Sing? Easy. Eminem's "Without Me."

So how about it, faithful readers? I don't have the "skillz" to do it, but I'm thinking an appropriate re-write of the lyrics would be just too funny. Extra Brownie points for Flash or similar animation. Send me a link, clip, or whatever, and I'll post 'em when I get back this weekend if I get any takers.

Ashcroft Sings

Ashcroft Sings

You gotta hear this to believe it. Surprisingly good voice, I'd like to hear what he could do with a song that wasn't so...well...stupid. (Link via CollegeHumor)

Can't wait for the "Latest Hits" album.

The Substitute

The Substitute Blogger is Here

So you damn kids better behave or I'll get the switch...

Rita, her Daughter and the Sister are off to San Diego for a few days and

I AM IN CHARGE!!!

oops... the Mistress hasn't left yet... OH NO...

NOT THE PELOSI WHIP!

I have returned, properly chastened...
I am the mate of Rita, Mike S.
I will be chattering on here till she returns
and
then I will surrender to her superior charms.

It's good to be married to the Cherokee Squaw Hillbilly Attorney.

Mangled Metaphors

Mangled Metaphors

Don't you love it when you run across a good one? My favorite, and I've forgotten the source, regards a foreign dignitary who is trying to avoid taking sides in a disagreement until one side looks to be a clear winner. Another dignitary said about him, "He's sitting on the fence with both ears to the ground, which is a most uncomfortable position for him to be in."

Mangled, but so true.

My Family

My Family

We're always ready with the quick quip, banter and teasing are the norm. Maybe it's our heritage, my dad's family are Welsh-Cherokee, mom's Irish-Cherokee, or our hillbilly culture...but we're a family of irreverant smart-asses. A typical example occurred last Saturday during our Thanksgiving dinner. We're all at the table, eating. My daughter innocently tries to ask me a question, "Mom, have you ever..." "No," I interrupt, "I never have." My sis joins in with "You should know your mother would never..." My mom, "And you shouldn't either." My husband, "I can't believe you'd even ask your mom that." Her boyfriend, "None of us has ever..." And so it goes back and forth.

My daughter, giggling helplessly, appeals for help from my dad, "Poppy, are you going to let them pick on me like that?" My dad, who's been sitting there chuckling at us all, responds with "Hey, I ain't in on this." "See, Poppy doesn't even want to talk about it," my sis says, "He can't believe you even brought it up." It continues for several more minutes, with my daughter giving as good as she gets, until we're all laughing too hard to talk.

It's a cultural thing with us, one I had warned my husband about prior to his first visit with my family. If you get teased, it means we like you. If you take it well, and tease back, you're one of us.

Smart asses, the whole lot of us.

Outside

Outside

Posting will be light today. We're taking advantage of the weather to finish some much needed yard work. Can't someone invent a tree with self-mulching leaves? Forecast high for tomorrow is 34 degrees, though, so we're trying to get done today while it's a balmy 60. Finishing the Christmas lights is also on the agenda but there's not much left to do there.

This, on top of the normal laundry & "Lick & a Promise" cursory cleaning for the inside, promises to make for a busy day around the old homestead.

Memories

Memories

My mother is the original pack rat. The down side to this is that my sis & I know when both our parents pass, we will have to just back a dump truck up to the house & start filling it with junk destined for the dump. The up side is that there are treasures hidden in all the trash. Yesterday, my daughter & I were on a mission to see if my treasured copy of The Night Before Christmas could be found. I was ecstatic when we did indeed find it. Ever since I was a very small child, I loved that book. My mother says when I was 2, I had memorized every page & would recite the entire poem, turning the pages, pretending I could read. (She also says I was reading by the time I was 4. Guess all that pretending paid off, though I also have faint memories of my mother teaching me how to sound out difficult words.)

The book had held up pretty well, considering it's over 40 years old, it was my favorite book, and my kids also grew up with it. Now it's time to share it with my grandson.

Worth a Thousand Words

Worth a Thousand Words

This made me giggle. No mean feat for this early in the morning. (Link via Cold Fury)

Ruminations

Ruminations

Visits home are always difficult for me. My mother & I have never had a good relationship. I miss my dad and am glad to see him. But there's alot of painful memories for me there. Both of my exs live there. The death of my only niece, who was the same age as my son, in a senseless car accident in 1994. The loss last year of my grandmother who practically raised me. The memories of good friends and close family members that are gone. It has become a land of the dead for me.

But today, my husband and I went on some property my dad gave me to look around. We've been toying semi-seriously with the idea of moving there when he retires in a few years. Watching him come up with ideas about how to do this and that, place a house here instead of there to take advantage of the terrain, heating systems that aren't dependent on electricity, seeing it all through his eyes made me consider that it could perhaps once again become a place of the living for me. It wouldn't be easy, but with his eyes to see through, I think it's at least possible.

Over the River

Over the River

And through the woods, to my parents' house we go. Literally. The drive is a real bitch kitty. Mostly two lane blacktop from here to Marshall, then a long drive down a narrow dirt road across creeks with low-water bridges. I remember years ago taking my step-granddaughter from a former marriage there when she was about 3. We're still several miles from the house when this little voice pipes up from the backseat, "Granny Reet, are we in the boonies yet?" I stifle my giggles long enough to reply, "Yes, sweetie, we are." "I thought so," she said. "It sure looked like the boonies to me."

Whew!

Whew!

Pumpkin pies are cooling. Did I spill filling in the floor & in the oven because I filled one crust too full? Of course I did, that's another Thanksgiving tradition around here. I'm thinking about making a batch of cinnamon/sugar coated pecans too later. Right now I'm working on Christmas lights again. It's reasonably nice out, provided you can get out of the wind. I'm just about finished, except for the ones along the high part of the roof. I'll wait until Mike can be here in case I fall or something.

I used to be absolutely unafraid of heights when I was younger. Climb to the very top of a tall supple sapling, get a good grip on the top & jump. Kinda like a hillbilly bungee jump. Or cut a grapevine on a steep hillside, so when you would be at the height of the swing, you were a good 20-30 feet from the ground.

Not anymore. I'm not afraid of heights really, just got old enough to have enough sense to know if I fall, that sudden stop at the end is really gonna hurt.

Forecast

Forecast

We may not be leaving Tuesday for our trip. The forecast right now is for a 70% chance of a wintry mix, predicted high 34 degrees. Great. I hope that one changes between now & then. Though as warm as it's been here, any frozen precipitation that falls isn't going to stick around. Just don't know how it will affect getting our flight out.

What a Maroon!

What a Maroon!

I don't even want to know what this moron was doing when this happened.

"This...story should be taken as a serious warning against use of a laptop in a literal sense," he added.

"Writing a report"? Is that what they call it nowdays or just the story he told his wife?

Still Sick

Still Sick

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. I'm still battling a serious sinus infection, and just didn't feel up to writing. I've been trying to get some things done before I leave next week, and had just pushed myself too hard. Yesterday, it pushed back...hard. So, after getting some work done yesterday morning, I spent most of the remainder of the day in bed or on the couch. Sollie kept me snuggled up on the couch, and Sassy alternated between guarding the door and licking my face, so I was in good hands (paws?) until Mike could get home. He made me the ultimate invalid comfort food, poached eggs & rye toast, which helped tremendously.

I'm marginally better this morning, and much thanks to everyone for their well-wishes. We're having Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow at my parents' since my daughter, my sis & I are going to be gone next week. I'm making the required traditional pumpkin pies and coleslaw today, since we'll be leaving first thing in the morning. At least the house will smell yummy all day.

Since I'm still so sick, and my parents as well, we'll not get to take the grandson, which is disappointing. Don't want to take the chance of him getting sick again with this, though. Holidays are just more fun with little ones running around underfoot, aren't they?

Sick today.

Sick today. Post tomorrow. Maybe.

Essiness

Essiness

The new dog jacket is a big hit, though it's going to need a little altering...obviously made for a little girl dog if you know what I mean. He looks like Essiness, pug from da hood. I expect him to start rapping any minute now. Nope, he's going to sleep, just chillin' like a villain, ya know what I'm saying? Kickin' back at the crib wid his posse.

Old semi-white lady, trying to talk gangsta...that's just sad. *Sigh* I'm going to bed.

He Speaks

He Speaks

And oh, what pearls of wisdom have dripped from the lifeless lips of Albert Gore today?

"Now the warlords are back in control, the Taliban is back in Afghanistan and for a variety of reasons al-Qaida is back at full strength and Osama is back making his threats against the U.S," Gore said in an interview with The Associated Press.

And what color is the sky in your world today? In my version of reality, your statement isn't entirely accurate. I don't want to offend your pomo sensibilites here or anything, but aren't you exaggerating wildly to suit your own agenda?

But he said his "gut feeling is that whoever the Democratic nominee turns out to be will have an excellent chance in 2004 simply because the Bush-Cheney economic plan has been a catastrophic failure."

"By 2004, the economic consequences of this plan, now that they've got both the House and the Senate and they're unlikely to change their blueprint, I don't think it has a chance in the world of working, unfortunately," he said.

But you've got a plan, right Al?

Gore has said the whole Bush economic plan and economic team should be thrown out, and the administration should start over with tax cuts aimed specifically at the middle class.

Sorry, Al, but that dog won't hunt. I'll type this very slowly so you won't misunderstand. It's. Not. About. The. Economy. Stupid. In fact, all things considered like the terrorist attacks and the war, our economy is doing fairly well. Isn't war traditionally good for the economy anyway?

Gore said that "after a magnificent response to 9-11, President Bush then lost focus."

"As the fall elections approach, for whatever reason, he decided to start a new war," Gore said. "Saddam Hussein is a bad guy who deserves to be removed from power. But he is not the one who attacked us Sept. 11. He is not the one who is threatening to kill us right now.

"The president succeeded during the election campaign in convincing a majority that Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida are practically the same thing ... but he convinced the majority of something that is not true and is not backed up by any evidence that I am aware of."

Sucks being out of the loop on all the current foreign intell, doesn't it? Ah, well, c'est la guerre.

Gore must now decide whether the time is right for him to make another run for president amid this economic and international turmoil.

"It's not just about me, it's about how I can best serve my country, whether I would be the best candidate for Democrats to put forward against Bush," Gore said.

Sounds like at least you _think_ it's all about you. Hey Al, there's no "I" in Democrat.

Gore acknowledged he has plenty of work to do winning over Democrats who remain skeptical after his loss to Bush.

He said he will "have to convince the political insiders and the journalistic community that I'd learned enough to run a better campaign."

And good luck to you Bucky, cuz I don't see that happening. "learned enough"..."run a better campaign"....Baahaaahahaha, now that's a good one.

Interesting

Interesting

Didn't England try this with some of their prison population way back when? That Bloomberg, he's just full of ideas, isn't he?

Too Funny

Too Funny

Now this is just too funny. Not that I've ever wanted to pierce that particular part of my anatomy, but this is another good reason not to. (Link via Fark)

Time to Rebuild

Time to Rebuild

Plans are on display for the rebuilding of 7 World Trade Center. I was glad to see this, as the Financial District is our favorite area of New York City.

We have mourned, and now it is time to rebuild. I know it is a cliche to say otherwise the terrorists will have won. But if we do not rebuild, haven't they?

Shopping

Shopping

I officially now have one Christmas present bought. Yay for me. I bought some luggage for my son early so I could take it out to him when I go. I'm thinking about buying some for my daughter too so she'll stop constantly borrowing mine. She's such a mooch.

Also ran into the new Petsmart to get a snail for one of our aquariums. The salesgirl poked around on all of them and said you know, these don't look too good. We'll have some new ones in tomorrow, why don't you wait til then? Now _that's_ customer service. I shopped around a little, they've just opened recently, and I wanted to see what they had. Bought Solly a fleece jacket and both he and Sassy new chewbones. He has turned into such a little clotheshorse. He LOVES his sweater, but Sassy thinks it's weird and won't stop til she pulls it off him. Which makes him all upset, and has really been hard on the sweater too. I think I've figured it out though. Pugs are companion dogs, meaning they think they're people. To him, mommy wears clothes, so he should too. Akitas are pack animals, meaning they think we are just weird dogs. Mommy wears clothes instead of fur, but she loves me anyway because I am the alpha female of the pack. So when she sees Sollie wearing clothes over his fur, it is not only weird, it is just wrong and she has to correct it.

Or am I just anthromorphizing too much?

San Diego Trip

San Diego Trip

As some of you know, I've a trip planned next week to San Diego to visit my son before he ships out to Japan for a year. Just went to my ear, nose & throat doc since the bug that I've had has triggered another severe sinus infection episode. He wasn't too pleased with the idea of me flying, saying something about my face exploding due to the pressure changes. Well, okay, maybe not _exploding_ but it could cause some problems. I told him I'm going anyway, just wanted to know what to expect. So, Joanie, let's still plan on trying to meet for coffee. Just be forewarned I may not be my usual jolly self.

*Sigh* As if I weren't having enough problems dealing with my parents, who are convinced that al-Quada members are just waiting for me to cross the state line so they can kill me. What are the chances they would target my particular plane? Slim to none, I'd say. Besides, I refuse to let fear control my life. They might take me out, but I'll not go without a fight. To paraphrase an old Souix saying, every day is a good day to die.

Eustis, Florida

Eustis, Florida

Nice article in the New York Times this morning about central Florida (the non-Mickey part). My father-in-law and some of the family live in Eustis, which is about 30 miles out of Orlando. Nice little town, as is neighboring Mt. Dora. We spent July 4th there with my husband's family. We took Mike's dad and brother to nearby Lake Dora for the fireworks display that night, and had a great time. It was a bit disconcerting for this old hillbilly to sit & watch the gators cruising the shore where all the kids were playing, but the gators cleared out once the fireworks started.

It's actually a great place to visit, pretty laid back and quiet, pretty country too. And it's only about an hour's drive to Daytona, if you want some beach time. Of course Mickey's a short drive away too, if you like that kind of thing. We stayed away, cuz those people scare me. It's just not normal to be that perky & cheerful all the time.

Nat'l Ammo Day

Nat'l Ammo Day

Just did our bit for National Ammo Day and bought 550 rounds for my daughter's .22 rifle. I wanted some squirrel shot for my 12 gauge, but couldn't find anything but steel shot and birdshot. When I checked out, the cashier asked if the ammo was for a handgun. Is that some new requirement? (Yes, it has been a while since I bought .22 shells) I thought about telling her no, I'd rather have a handful of rocks, but I didn't think she'd get the joke.

UPDATE: I finally found some 3-inch #4's and some 00 buckshot, which brings our total up to 590 rounds. Now if I can just convince Mike he should buy my Christmas present early and get that .45 pistol I've had my eye on....

Auntie Em Update

Auntie Em Update

Recently received the great news from Auntie Em's parents that they are back in town for a short stay at home prior to beginning round 3 of chemo at the first of next month. Auntie Em is handling the rather aggressive chemo fairly well, and the once 7 lb. tumor in her little tummy has shrunken to golf ball size. (For any new readers, Auntie Em is the barely 2 yr. old aunt of my grandson on his mother's side. She's quite the sweetheart, and has been receiving treatment at St. Jude's for neuroblastoma which has spread to her bones.)

So keep the positive thoughts and prayers headed her way, as she's still got a long way to go. Also, there's been an account for donations set up for them at one of the local Arvest banks. If anyone's interested, e-mail me for particulars. I'm sure they can use all the help they can get, as neither parent has left her side for a minute since this whole ordeal started.

Meteor Shower

Meteor Shower

It was worth getting up early, one of the better meteor shows I've seen in a long while. Saw bunches of streaking stars even with all the city lights and a nearly full moon. One in particular was spectacular...with a huge glowing blue-green tail which appeared to billow smoke and ended in a large silent explosion of light.

It wasn't nearly as cool as the one in 1966. I remember it clearly. My dad had gone out to bring in firewood in the wee hours of the morning and was so amazed he came in & woke us all up. My sister & I were bundled up & rushed outside to see. We lived way out in the sticks, so no light pollution from street lights or anything. Just the dark sky, raining stars seemingly by the thousands. The sky was filled with constant brillant streaks of light showering down from the heavens. I was awe-stricken, and being only 6, a little bit spooked by it all. We all watched in silence for the longest time until it finally began to die down and there was only the occasional flash here and there. Truly one of the more amazing things I've seen.

Break Time

Break Time

I've been out putting up Christmas lights. Not that I'll turn them on anytime soon, just it was sunny & fairly warm so I thought I'd get started. But now it's cloudy and the wind gusts are 30+ m.p.h. which is a bit much to be up on our none-too-sturdy ladder.

Break time!

UPDATE: Okay, so it was nap time instead, so what. Good thing my daughter dropped by or I'd probably still be snoring away. Now I gots to go make a big pan of biscuits to go with the beef stew that's been simmering all afternoon. Yum, yum!

Retro Gal

Retro Gal

Now this is just wrong.

What Type Of Retro Gal Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

You are the playful pin-up! Do you know how to be serious?

I would never have a dachshund. (Link via Joanie)

Mystery Solved

Mystery Solved

I've been getting tons of hits lately from people Googling for the definition of "res ipsa loquitur," which had me bumfuzzled. Until I saw this in the Onion:

Not all of the justices admit to being so nervous, however. Asked to assess his prospects for losing his virginity within the next two months, a confident Scalia lifted his judicial robe and quipped, "Res ipsa loquitur."

"The thing speaks for itself." Indeed.

The Move Is On

The Move Is On

We are finally taking the plunge, and have started the move to MT. "In Progress/Attending" status at the moment, but I'll post a link when we're done. Probably will take a while, since Mike's doing the hard stuff, and doesn't have much free time during the work week.

And since some people have me blogrolled as "Pretentious Latin Title" (and a big *raspberry* to you Matt), and there's another unrelated blog with the same name, there will be a name change.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but we're ready to move on up to the East Side. Feel free to send us comments, e-mails, suggestions, tips, etc. It's all good.

Tin Man

Tin Man

Oooiiilll me. *Squeak Squeak* Oooiilll me.

I don't think so, my little North Korean friend. Actions have consequences. And you're the one who sneaked out to play in the rain.

Lastest Al-Quada Threat

Lastest Al-Quada Threat

Al-Jazeera correspondent Yosri Fouda reports receiving the latest threat from Al-Quada:

Fouda, speaking by telephone from London, said the statement called on Americans to stop supporting Israel and other governments that "oppress" Muslims or face more attacks. The statement also called on Americans to convert to Islam, he said.

I've got two words for you boys: Bite. Me.

Fouda quoted the statement as saying: "Stop your support for Israel against the Palestinians, for Russians against the Chechens ... for corrupt leaders in our countries ... [and] leave us alone or expect us in Washington and New York."

"Leave us alone"? Whiny ass crybabies. What's the matter, didn't your momma ever tell you boys not to start a pissing match with a waterhose? Things not working out like you expected, hmmm? Second stringers keep getting caught? Not all of your Arab brothers backing you up? You can run, but you can't hide.

Leave you alone. Not bloody likely.

Don't Mess With Arkies, Either

Don't Mess With Arkies, Either

Back in June, we had an incident where some nut named McCarter chased two girls down I-540 late one night, ran them off the road, then tried to rape both of them. Two young good ol' boys, Mr. Moll and Mr. Evans, happened upon the scene, found out what was going on, and caught the guy after he wrecked his car trying to get away. In one interview, one of the boys said the guy pulled a police baton out and asked, "Now what are you gonna do"? The boy said he took it away from the guy, and proceeded to show him. From all reports, he beat that guy like a rented mule.

By the time the boys had the guy properly subdued, a kindly trucker had stopped, and helped them truss the guy up with a 2-inch cargo strap. In one article I read at the time (but can't find now), the boys said they were having problems getting the guy back over the fence with him trussed up and all. So they just picked him up and tossed him over the fence like a bale of hay. Practical boys, weren't they?

Cops arrive and nut is taken away. Rescued girls kiss their heroes, and everyone makes a big fuss over these boys. Their response? Why, shucks, 'tweren't nothing but what any guy would've done. They were just glad they caught the guy.

Moll says his knuckles were a little sore, and he and Evans had a few scrapes, but Moll said McCarter suffered the most injuries.

Ain't that a shame?

Anti-War Protest

Anti-War Protest

A couple of hours ago, the hubby & I were sitting in traffic, waiting for the light to change over by the mall. Suddenly, I noticed there was a huge anti-war protest going on at the intersection. Why, there must've been at least 10 of 'em, with their little anti-war signs. Dammit, why are we never in my car when we see things like that? You know, the little all-wheel drive Subaru with the big bumper sticker, "Proud Parent of a Sailor." Tried to get Mike to pull over by one kid holding a big sign, "Bush Lies." I wanted to ask him specifically to what lies he was referring, but there was too much traffic. And by the time we finished grocery shopping & came back by, they were all gone. Just because the temp's in the low 40's and the north wind's gusting to about 15 m.p.h. or so. I don't think they were very dedicated to their cause. Buncha wussies.

Don't Mess With Texas

Don't Mess With Texas

Seems some nut with a shotgun herded a bunch of kids into the cafeteria this morning in Scurry, Texas, and started pouring gas around on the floor. What happened next was pure Texan. The principal and some of the teachers snuck up on him and...

"I shoved the barrel up toward the air," [principal] Sneed said. "I got it around his neck so I could hold him, and a couple of football players and teachers came up, and we got the weapon secured. He never said a word."

Good ol' boys are kinda handy to have around, ain't they?

Bleh!

Bleh!

I thought the whole point of a doctor's visit was to get drugs that would make you feel better. Didn't work, I feel like death warmed over, and look worse. Should've known I was in trouble when my new doc walks in and he looks just like a 15 yr. old Peter Brady. Freckles and all. Damn I'm getting old.

Tort Reform Part II

Tort Reform Part II

The process of tort awards can go badly wrong for several reasons. One, as Acidman points out in the comments to Part I below, is that sometimes "12 total assholes on a jury" award an outrageous amount that has no rational relationship to the harm suffered. A jury pool is somewhat limited, and bears little resemblance to the average person. It's usually composed of registered voters, not the population at large. It then gets narrowed down to people who can't think up a good reason to be excused, those who have their own hidden agenda, and the few decent people who believe it's their civic duty. (I'm not a cynic, I'm a hyper-realist.) Then we attorneys further reduce the pool by voire dire, the process of us asking potential jurors endless questions to try & guess how likely it is a juror will find for our client. As a colleague of mine put it, at best this is a crap shoot, you rolls the dice & takes your chances. And I'm sure you'll be shocked to learn that during this process, people lie, withhold information, etc. An imperfect process, to say the least.

So, you're probably thinking, this just proves that we need a cap on the amount on how much a jury can award. How are you going to decide what that amount should be? Take an average for each type of case? Who's going to determine the average? What criteria should they use? What about new types of cases? What you'll end up with is a real tar baby. And those unintended consequences are going to bite you in the ass. What do you do when costs of dealing with the consequences of a person's injury are higher than the cap? How do you deter companies who are prone to run a cost-benefit analysis and decide it's cheaper to pay off the relatively few injured who make it to court than to replace a defective part?

There are much simpler ways to control outrageous awards. One suggestion is to replace regular juries with either professional juries, as in some European countries, or with a 3 judge panel. Might work, though I think you're running a risk of those being composed of people who are too sympathetic to one side or the other.

My suggestion? (You lawyer-bashers are gonna love this.) Cap the attorney's fees. Set a billing rate at 1/2 to 2/3 the normal billing rate, with a maximum over-all cap. Require attorneys to submit a detailed billing, with appropriate documentation, to the judge, who has to review & sign off. Set up an independent office whose sole function is to further review, substantiate and approve all requests for attorney's fees & costs before the attorney can be paid. You can hear those trial attorneys squealing now, can't you?

But, you might argue, won't that have the effect of preventing legitimate lawsuits because attorneys won't take them? Bullshit. That's the way I get paid for every deprived child case I take. There's a whole bunch of us that know we're not going to get rich, but we get paid a decent enough wage. We also believe that what we do is more important than getting rich. There are enough other like us to ensure that this won't happen. Plus, Federal law has already done this. If you file certain tort claims against a govermental agency, there is a limit on how much can be paid out of any award or settlement in attorney's fees.

If you take away the outrageous attorney's fees, you get rid of the attorneys who will file any lawsuit, no matter how ridiculous, just to get rich(er) quick. This way you don't have mess around with the jury system. You don't have the problems associated with award caps. And you don't take away the deterrent against companies who might do bad things. Call it the "Barney Fife" approach. You just gotta nip it in the bud, nip it in the bud.

Sorry

Sorry

I promise I'll finish the tort reform post tomorrow. I'm as sick as the proverbial dog. Tried all day to get a doctor's appointment, but couldn't get the "triage" nurse to call me back. Time to change doctors I do believe. Anyway, I just leaned over to unplug the electric blanket, and it was a gusher. Copious nose bleed. *Sigh* That means a call to my ear, nose & throat guy first thing in the morning. At least they'll do whatever it takes to work me in. Grumble grumble bitch bitch whine.

Definition

Definition

For the person or persons desperately Googling for the definition of "res ipsa loquitur," look at the top of the page. It means "the thing speaks for itself." You're welcome.

UPDATE: If you're looking for the legal definition, go here. Or find a Black's law dictionary at an actual library for a more in-depth legal definition.

We now return you to the regularly scheduled posting.

Tort Reform Part I

Tort Reform Part I

This post over at Acidman's prompted me to write down some things I've been pondering about tort reform. Torts is not an area in which I regularly practice, but basically you can define a tort as a harm done to you by someone who should have taken care not to harm you. You sue to get the harm fixed, if it's possible to do so, and/or for money. Money is awarded for the present & future costs of the harm, and for punitive damages. Punitive damages are like a smack upside the head as punishment for the wrong act and as a deterrent so they'll remember to take better care next time. This can be a light slap (small award) or a two-handed slug upside the head with a cast iron skillet (large award), depending on how egregious the conduct is. You can also ask for attorney's fees and costs of bringing the lawsuit. The object is, at least in theory, to put you back in the same position you were before you were harmed, compensate you for the harm done, and deter the one who did you wrong and others from doing it again.

And it does work that way, most of the time. The exceptions are the ones that make the news. (Just like it's the really bad lawyers that give the rest of us a bad name.) There are several reasons this process can go badly wrong, and several reasons why a limit on awards won't work. I'll explore those in Part II a little later.

Vegetarian's Nightmare

Vegetarian's Nightmare

Oh, the wonders of the Blogosphere! This had started out being a really crappy morning, until I'm reading one of my favorite blogs and spot this. Baxter Black's "Vegetarian's Nightmare," in its entirety, for little ol' me. Rodger, I don't know how you found this, but you are wonderful! Years and years ago, when I lived in the wilderness that is northcentral Arkansas, I saw Baxter Black perform this on PBS. (Not only was cable & satellite not available, PBS was the only channel we could get.) I damn near wet my pants laughing. Baxter chopping & cutting with such maniacal glee...vegetables shivering & cowering in fear. God, it was funny. Ever since, it is the first thing that pops into my brain when someone mentions vegetarians.

Thank you thank you! I owe you big, my man.

Cool

Cool

Which Firearm are you? brought to you byStan Ryker

I'm not quite sure what that is, but hey, I'd shoot it.
UPDATE: Hey this is pretty nifty. Shoots both 20mm High Explosive projectiles (laser guided) & 5.56mm shells, range of 1,000 meters, weighs less than 12 lbs. Hell yeah I'd shoot it. Well, if it weren't a military weapon still in development and I could get my hands on one.

Vegetarians

Vegetarians

I've been thinking about this since visiting with my long-lost friend yesterday. She'd said she had become a vegetarian some time ago. (She's also apparently morphed into a card-carrying protesting liberal, but I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that one.) Now I don't have any real problem with veggies, as long as they stay out of my face while I'm eating a big rare slab of dead cow. But their position has never made sense to me. They say killing & eating living things for food is wrong. But why the distinction between animals & plants? Plants are living things. Do they feel pain? Some studies suggest that yes, they do. My own observations suggest the same, they do experience pain, on some level. (For an interesting twist, read "Vegetarian's Nightmare," a poem by Baxter Black. Sorry, no link, I've never been able to find it online. If anyone knows of a link, please let me know. It's side-splittingly funny. And yes, I know he's a "cowboy" poet. Don't be a cultural snob. It's good.) And to turn the pomo argument against them, just because we are unable to observe something doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't exist. If Schroedinger's cat meows, does it make a sound?

You kill living things with every breath you take. Death is a part of life. Big deal. Do we have a moral obligation to not kill unnecessarily and with the least amount of pain possible? Absolutely. Do we have to kill to survive? Of course. That's the way living things are designed. Look around, Nature is described as "red of tooth and claw" for a reason. And don't give me that crap about how pre-historic people lived in tune with nature, primarily living on nuts, berries, and grain. Well, duh. What's the easiest food to get in the wild? Things that can't run away. Did they eat meat whenever they could manage to get it? Of course they did. (I don't know how to break it to the veggies, but we're omnivores. Look it up.) Their lives were also short, and it was a daily struggle just to stay alive. They weren't "in tune" with Nature. They either figured out how to meet basic needs, food shelter water, or they died. Not pretty.

So, if you don't like meat, don't eat it. I don't have a problem with that. Just don't try to convince me it's somehow wrong to do so. And BTW, yes, I do know that a cow died so I could have leather shoes. At least I hope so. It would be too cruel to skin her otherwise. Now if y'all will excuse me, I gots to get the BBQ started.

Butterfly McQueen

Butterfly McQueen

My voice is slowly coming back. I've thought all day it was at least better, kinduva scratchy Tom Waits. But my husband has informed me it's more like Butterfly McQueen in "Gone With the Wind." Dammit, he's right. Court should be great fun tomorrow. I'm in for some major teasing.

Just For You

Just For You

When I saw this, I instantly thought of my Blogmommy, Rachel. But it's also one we can all enjoy. (Link via Curmudgeonly & Skeptical)

Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day

In honor of all who have fought and died to keep our country free, it is your patriotic duty to give a good Clarking to the next liberal moron you hear say something like this:

[regarding the Bali bombing] Who caused this tragedy? It's not such an important question for us to discuss. Why this happened - maybe this is more worthy of thought. What can we do to create beauty from the tragedy and come to an understanding where nobody feels the need to make such a statement again? This is important.

Why seek retribution from people who are acting as they see fit? These people are misguided from our point of view. Obviously, from theirs, they feel justified and angry enough to make such a brutal statement.

We would like to send a message to the world - embrace this misunderstanding between our brothers and let's seek a peaceful answer to the problems which bring us to such tragedy.

Do not bring malice to our world. What has happened has happened. Stop talking about the theories of who and why. It does not serve the spirit of our people. Words of hate will not rebuild our shops and houses. They will not heal damaged skin. They will not bring back our dead.

We beg you, talk only of the good which can come of this. If we can love all of our brothers and sisters, we have already won the "war against terrorism".

(links via Tim Blair, Instapundit, and nikita demosthenes)

Say, let's get all the terrorists & liberals together, they can join hands and sing "Kumbaya." Great idea! Our flyboys will drop in and provide a fireworks display for the rest of us.

A Voice From the Past

A Voice From the Past

I had signed up on that Classmates thing months ago, trying to track down a couple of my best friends from back in the day. I'd found one pretty quickly, and we've had great fun catching up. She & I had kept in touch sporadically over the years at least. But I had been unsuccessful in finding the other member of our "Terrible Trio" as we were know in high school. She'd moved out East & really never looked back, for good reasons of her own. Out of the blue today, I just got an e-mail from her. I'm so excited! She & I have been best friends since we met in 1966 in kindergarten.

Her e-mail brought back so many memories. Good Lord, we were wild kids! What one of us couldn't think of to get into, one of the other two would. I had a '66 Mustang in high school, and we used to regularly cut school after lunch in the spring & head to the river, portable 8-track player & suntan oil in hand. (One of the tamer things we did.) If our parents knew half of what we did, they would've killed us. We most always had our stories straight, though, and only got busted once for skipping school. (A minor incident, compared for example to the frat party two of us went to & got totally bombed on strawberry daquiris and uh, well, certain combustible plant matter.) My new project is to get us all together sometime soon and talk about the good old days and what's happened since.

That's the best thing about old friends, isn't it? They know where all the bodies are buried (and love you anyway), but can't tell anyone cuz they helped you bury them.

Oklahoma Shooter

Oklahoma Shooter Update

This morning's Dem-Zette reports that the kid over in Sallisaw that went on a shooting rampage was under the influence of cold medicine.

Sallisaw Police Chief Gary Philpot said the investigation indicates Fears was hallucinating after taking an over-the-counter cold medicine.

Fears was known to have taken as many as 30 of these tablets at once, Philpot said, and even wrote a letter to a friend indicating the side effects.

There were other warning signs that something was seriously wrong with this kid, including incidents of animal cruelty, which should've been a huge red flag.

" I saw him pick up a bird one time and twist its head off like it was nothing, "the 17-year-old Sallisaw resident [a neighbor of Fears] added." He didn’t have trouble killing animals.

There are still signs that this kid has serious problems.

" He seems completely normal now, "Philpot added." He’s come off whatever he was on. He shows no remorse, no emotion. "

Perano said he understands. His friend has come tragically too far for that.

" Nothing matters anymore, "said Perano, who has not seen Fears in jail." He won’t tell anybody he’s sorry. There ain’t no forgiving now. "

'Scuse me, Sheriff, but, uh, that ain't completely normal for anyone, let alone a kid. The only questions now are can he be successfully treated, and if not, do you warehouse him for the rest of his life or not.

Oh, Yeah!

Oh, Yeah!

Which John Cusack Are You?

As a matter of fact, I do look really hot in a tuxedo.

Bah!

Bah!

Blogger is starting to really piss me off. Sorry for the double post.

Voiceless

Voiceless

I've caught the grandson's cold, congestion, cough, the whole bit. I'm not deathly ill or anything, just feel a little under the weather. The worse thing is that I've lost my voice. It's driving me and my husband crazy since too much rock 'n roll and construction work in his younger years have left him a bit hard of hearing. He's picking up sign language really quickly though, especially a certain universal one. ;)

Assistance, Please

Assistance, Please

I'm diligently working my way through my HTML textbook in my spare time. Surprisingly it's actually starting to sink in. We've been looking around for a spot to move off Blogger, and have looked at Movable Type and something called "pmachine". We'll need hosting as well as support, so anyone have suggestions/solutions??

Razorbacks Whip Cocks

Razorbacks Whip Cocks

Arkansas 23, South Carolina 0. I'm not a big football fan, just surprised the Razorbacks kept enough players out of jail long enough to beat anyone.

The shocker of the day was Oklahoma 26, A&M 30. Bet there's a bunch of my colleagues out in Delaware County, OK crying in their beer right now. I miss the days when we were in the SWC. Quite a rivalry between us & all of Texas back in those days, right, Pawpaw? I still giggle everytime I see one of those alumni stickers for A&M that say "Former Student of Texas A&M." I could never decide if they couldn't spell alumnus, didn't know what it meant, or no one ever graduated. The University of Arkansas should do something similar so that all our former athletes could belong, since most of them damn sure don't graduate or know how to spell/define alumnus.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

What she said.

Sorry

Sorry for the lack of posting. Had to go pick up the grandson from my parents' this morning. He is coming down with a nasty cold, so had to have extra cuddles most of the day. Nothing better than Ma's rocking chair and a book when you're feeling bad. Perked up late this evening when we stopped for a bite at our favorite BBQ spot on our way to take him home to his mom's. Chowed down on the BBQ pork, flirted with all the pretty waitresses, and boogied to the blues. Gonna have to take that boy to Beale Street sometime.

At any rate, Ma is exhausted, so I'll try to get caught up on my posting over the weekend.

Pryor's Nannygate

Pryor's Nannygate

Found this via Spoons. I knew there was something rotten in Denmark.

The woman now tells El Latino editor Michel Leidermann that she was indeed an illegal worker when employed by Pryor for about six months in 1999 and that she told his wife this at the time. She also says she made $70 a day for a day of work a week or more for six months, which could mean she earned enough to have required small tax payments by the Pryors. She says she was encouraged by Pryor in-laws to sign a statement absolving Pryor and that she did so because she was unnerved by being the center of controversy.

Gee, I'm just a hillbilly lawyer and therefore not very good at math, but doesn't that add up to a little more than "less than $1,000"?

It's a beautiful day

It's a beautiful day in NWA. Blogger seems to be working again. Too bad. I'm heading out to enjoy what's left of a warm, sunny fall day. Think I'll crank up the lawn tractor and mow some leaves.

Post-Election

Post-Election

Well, Pryor's our new junior senator for the minority. ( Pardon me while I curb my enthusiasm. ) Somehow the latter part of that sentence more than makes up for the former, however. This ditty has been playing in the back of my mind all day, "We're gonna get new federal judges, maybe new Supreme Court Justices, and they won't be stupid liberals. Neener neener neener." (I know, doesn't rhyme, doesn't scan, don't quit my day job.)

At least we kept the Gov. and it looks like, the last time I checked, that good ol' Bootsie will win. How could you live in Arkansas and not vote for someone named Bootsie? I mean, really. The best election news though, was that we had an estimated 80% turnout rate. How cool is that? No matter how you voted, I think we in NW Arkansas kick ass.

In other good news, I've discovered another Arkansas blogger, Jeremy. He lives down in the Delta, flatlander as we call 'em, but seems like an ok fella in spite of it. So go on over & give him a read.

UPDATE: I just discovered that Bootsie lost by 79 votes. She's asked for a recount. Don't blame her.

Good Night

Good Night

I'm turning it over to Matthew for late night coverage. I'm an old lady and it's past my bedtime. Pryor is still leading, 54% to 46%, with 30% of the precincts reporting. I'm sure there'll be a challenge to Pulaski County, since the Arkansas Supreme Court's ruling means that only the voters who were in line at 7:30, when the polls were supposed to close, will have their votes counted.

What a mess.

YES!

YES!

The Arkansas Supreme Court just voided the lower court's order that allowed Pulaski County polls to stay open late, according to our local tv station.

Oklahoma Races

Oklahoma Races

I'm following two judges races, one for District Judge in Delaware County (where I often work), and one for Associate District Judge in Adair County (a friend of mine is running).

So far, the incumbent judge in Delaware Co., Judge Haney, is leading Kathy Baker 62% to 38%, with 16 out of 44 precincts reporting. No comment since I like them both, and will be appearing in front of the winner. In Adair Co., my friend, Ralph Keene, is leading Liz Brown 52% to 48%, with 15 out of 18 precincts reporting. Ralph's a nice guy, and will make a great judge if he maintains his lead.

Update

Update

With 4% reporting, Hutchinson 17430, Pryor 19407.

Gov. Huckabee 19440, Jimmie Lou 17212

First NWArk. Numbers

First NWArk. Numbers

With 1% reporting, Hutchinson 1190, Pryor 708.

Gov. Huckabee 820, Jimmie Lou 991

Animal Cruelty Amd. For: 541, Against 1125
Food Sales Tax Amd. For: 591, Against 1192

Election Lawsuit

Election Lawsuit

According to Fox News, the Dems have filed suit asking that the polling places in Pulaski County (heavily Democratic) be allowed to stay open late due to problems with voting machines & verification of voter registration. Their request was granted by the judge. Now the Repubs are asking that the extension be applied statewide.

*Sigh* I hate Al Gore.

UPDATE: Here's the link. I heard the story on tv. Apparently, Pulaski Co. will be allowed to stay open until 9 p.m.

Local Update

Local Update

Our local NBC station just reported the heavy turnout continues in NW Arkansas. They also asked voters leaving the polls why they came out to vote, and the most frequent answer was "The Senate Race." Interesting.

Polls are open until 7:30 p.m. (Central Time) so a little while yet until returns start coming in.

Early Exit Polls

Early Exit Polls

Drudge has early exit poll results showing Pryor leading Hutchinson 51-49. The gap was larger earlier, so looks like Hutchinson has been gaining ground. Still way too close to call.

Election Link

Election Link

One stop shopping for the latest nationwide election news here.

Looks like our Gov. has pulled ahead of his Dem. opponent, Jimmie Lou, in the latest polls. Only in Arkansas would a female candidate for the governorship be named Jimmie Lou. She's been running hard on the Gov.'s participation in getting Wayne Dumond pardoned. I've posted about Dumond a while back, archived here if you're interested. I still can't believe that's the best she can come up with, talk about a potential to blow up in your face.

The Gov.'s done a pretty good job, IMO. The ArKids First program, which provides health insurance coverage for kids, is a great program. He cut the budget rather than raise taxes. My only problem with the Huckabees is that his wife is running for Secretary of State. She's a nice lady, but I just don't think the Gov. & the Sec. of State being married to each other is a good idea. Perhaps not technically improper, but there's that appearance of impropriety just the same.

Noon Update

Noon Update

Latest polls have Pryor leading by about 8 points in the Senate race here. I don't put much stock in local polls, though they are getting better. We hillbillies consider it incredibly rude to ask how someone is planning to vote, or how we voted. So we either don't answer, tell the pollster what we think they want to hear, or just flat out lie because after all, it's none of your damn business. Plus, I think the much heavier than usual turnout is going to make accurate prediction impossible.

All the local polls are reporting an incredibly heavy turnout, so you might want to get on over to your polling place and vote earlier rather than later today. Mark Pryor had a 45 minute wait down in Little Rock to vote this morning. Several of the local polls reported long lines before they even opened this morning. At least there seems to be plenty of ballots here in Washington County, so we won't run out like the last election. But the local CBS station reported that some of the polling places were running out of pencils.

Interesting tidbit: Bella Vista pollworkers initially wouldn't let Sen. Hutchinson vote this morning, because they incorrectly thought he had voted by absentee ballot. Took a call to the county clerk who confirmed he hadn't before he was allowed to vote.

Arkansas Political History

Arkansas Political History

For anyone interested in Arkansas politics, Diane Blair has written a great book on our checkered past. If you want to understand our peculiar brand of politics, this is a fascinating must-read.

Down 'n Dirty

Down 'n Dirty

That's Arkansas politics in a nutshell. Late Breaking News on one of the local stations a day or so ago reported allegations that Mark Pryor, Dems U.S. Senate candidate, had employed a Hispanic housekeeper and hadn't paid the requisite employer taxes. Turns out the lady in question apparently is here legally, though that issue was also initially raised.

Markie flatly denies the charges in today's Dem-Zette:

Also, the amount of money he paid Osorio over a four- or five-month period didn’t meet the annual threshold for Social Security or unemployment taxes to be paid, Pryor said. The threshold at the time was $1,000 per quarter for unemployment taxes and $1,300 per calendar year for other taxes, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Excuse me? She worked for you for 4-5 months, and didn't make $1,000.00? WTF?

Pryor campaign spokesman Rodell Mollineau responded that Osorio "provided documentation" to Pryor and his wife, Jill. "They were satisfied with it. I think the Pryors have met their burden and anything else would just be disproving a negative."

Mollineau said the Pryors estimate that they paid Osorio "less than $1,000" over the four- or fivemonth period in which she worked for the Pryors. She was paid $7 an hour for "light housekeeping" duties and the money was paid in a combination of cash and checks, Mollineau said.

I'm sure it was.

Election Day

Election Day

Election Day around here started off with a nice, cold Republican rain, though the forecast is predicting partly cloudy skies by this afternoon. Local news last night reported a possible record high early voting turnout in Benton County, adjacent to us to the north. Great news, hope the high voting rate continues throughout today. So if you haven't already, go vote. Remember, if you don't vote, you can't complain.

I'm happy to also welcome a couple of Fayetteville bloggers, Matt and Vicky. I discovered them thanks to Bill Quick, who had asked those who would be posting on today's election results for their state to let him know so he could post links for everyone. (How's that for a little blogcest?) Matt's going to be posting on the Arkansas elections, also, and has already pointed out that we have the candidate with the most unusual name, Bootsie Ackerman. And Vicky attended the Bush rally yesterday, even though she's a Dem.

So go on over and give 'em a read while I finish my breakfast.

CORRECTION: Miss Vicky was kind enough to let me know I made a mistake in the above post. Matt attended the Bush rally, not her. My deepest apologies to them both. That's what happens when I post before I'm fully awake....I screw things up.

Quiz Break

Quiz Break

Which Founding Father Are You? I am:

(Link via The Kitchen Cabinet)

You got a problem with that? Fine then, I challenge you to a duel, tomorrow at dawn, horse pistols at 10 paces.

Whew!

Whew!

Weekend was hectic to say the least; I'm still trying to recover. Had tons 'o fun with the grandson, who is now quite happily spending a few days with great-grandpa & grandma. Husband & I finished up our weekend errands after he left, then it was naptime for Ma & Pa, who were exhausted.

The jury nullification posting I had been working on disappeared when my laptop locked up & had to be re-booted. (Perhaps some little fingers were the culprit) I hope to start over on it sometime this afternoon, time permitting. Campaigning is getting really nasty here too, which I also hope to get to later. But right now I have work that has to be done, so TTFN and all that.

Campaign Calls

Campaign Calls

We've been getting quite a few of those pre-recorded campaign calls for one candidate or another since Friday. I hang up on them pretty quickly because a) I've already voted, and b) I don't listed to ANY pre-recorded message on the phone. My husband's been answering the last few (yes we screen our calls with caller i.d.), and just listened to one that had us both cracking up.

It was a call supporting the campaigns of Greg Ganski (sp?) and someone named Thompson, running for state senate and house up in Iowa. As faithful readers of my little blog are aware, we live in ARKANSAS. But we were glad to know their campaign contributions are being put to good use.

The Grandson

The Grandson

He was so excited to be at "Mah's" that he didn't go to sleep til almost 11 last night. Aunt Jessy stayed up with him, so at least Mah & Pah got some sleep. We took him with us to get groceries, which is fun for all. He loves to ride in the shopping cart, and is amazingly well-behaved for his age (22 months). Pah played race car with the cart, and Mah played "I see you," which is kind of a cross between peek-a-boo and hide & go seek. Still sacked out so far this morning but I don't expect that to last much longer.

It's cold & raining this morning, so no chance of playing "hide the baby in a pile of leaves." We're supposed to meet Aunt Jessy at the mall for lunch & shopping. Mah's got to go see how many quarters I can round up, since riding the mechanical horsie & cars will be required, I'm sure.

Later

Later

No posting til later. DSL has been completely down for several hours (I'm plugging along on dial-up), and now it's time to go pick up the grandson. I'm working on something about the upcoming vote in South Dakota on jury nullification, but it may be awhile before I can finish it. (Too cold for the grandson to be outside, so will have to keep him busy indoors, which can be a challenge.) Until then you can read competing views here and here.

What's your opinion? Good idea or bad idea?

DSL

DSL

DSL is still bouncing on and off; keeps losing the IP address according to my husband. That's so annoying! I'm picking up the grandson this afternoon for a long visit. He'll be making the rounds between me and various family members over the next week or so. Spoil him rotten and pass him on is our motto. His mom informed me last night that the terrible twos had struck with a vengence. (I had noticed that on his last visit) Not a problem, really, just takes patience, a sense of humor and a little use of distraction/re-direction. Besides, he can't hold a candle to the tantrums his favorite aunt (my daughter) used to have.

Posted by Rita at 08:49 AM | Comments (0)