Presumed Innocent
Random Ponderings:
Should U.S. Army Major Nidal Hassan continue to draw his military pay and benefits while he sits in a jail cell awaiting court martial? There is proposed legislation to change the law and allow the military to suspend the pay of someone accused of murder and/or sexual assault, before they are convicted. Is that violating the presumption of innocence? The military can already do this to civilian employees.
Do you feel like seeing Social Security renamed Social Insecurity?
I think it's awesome that actress Danica Mackellar can be both a math genius and look smoking hot as she did the other day on the set of an Avril Lavigne video.
Is the world really huge or incredibly small? I encountered two graduates of the school where I worked today.
When will the NY Yankees finally be able to dump A-Roid (call him Pay-Rod or A-Rod if you wish)?
Does former Washington D.C. mayor Marion Berry really expect anyone to believe his denial today on CNN that he did not smoke crack cocaine?
Is there something wrong with the fact that a Massachusetts couple who put a $1 million winning lottery ticket in the trash only realized they hadn't checked it after coming home from a losing session at the casino?
Does the fact that the film "Animal House" turns 35 tomorrow make you feel old? It sure makes me feel ancient.
Sticking with Animal House for a moment, who'd have thought that Kevin Bacon would become a bigger star than anyone else in that cast?
* * *
After much thought I've concluded that the new-fangled parking meters with sensors on them are not fair. For those who haven't encountered these things, they know that a car is parked in the space they "monitor" and no one can put more money in the meter for that vehicle until is pulls completely out of that space. Also, if the vehicle pulls out of the space, any time remaining on the meter disappears.
I think this isn't just wrong, it's illegal. Or it should be, under the doctrine of unjust enrichment. If you live in an apartment and you have a lease, you must pay the rent on that lease each month. If you move out before the lease is up, you're legally liable for the rent; unless and until the owner re-rents the apartment to a new tenant. Once that happens, you're relieved of the liability for rent because it would unjustly enrich that apartment owner.
The same principle applies here. If I pay to park in a space for an amount of time, that amount of time belongs to me. If I choose to abandon it, it should be up to me to decide if it should disappear or if the next car can just have my unused time. The city is essentially being paid twice for renting out the same space once. It is a textbook example of unjust enrichment.
I suspect some lawyer will come up with this at some point and file a class action suit against large cities who have done this, on behalf of parkers who had to pay for a space that was already paid for.
* * *
Marital infidelity is an old problem. While the percentage of married women who cheat seems to be on the rise, it is still much more likely that the cheating partner in a heterosexual relationship will be the man. However other factors are involved. Women in positions of power/influence or who have much higher earnings appear to be more inclined to cheat than other women.
Why do people cheat? Here are some reasons:
Payback. Whether actual or just perceived, the idea that a partner has cheated on a person may plant a seed in their mind that will lead to their own infidelity.
Physical chemistry. Sometimes one member of the couple reaches the point where they are no longer attracted to their partner, or are more attracted to someone else.
Spending no time together. Look at George Clooney and Stacy Keibler. They weren't married, but their relationship appears to have ended because they'd been apart for months and it would be more months before they could spend any time together. One of the sad facts of military life is that the strong relationships survive the periods of separation and the weak relationships don't. Or they do, but only because someone is being unfaithful.
The subject fascinates me. Maybe because I've been the victim of infidelity more than once, or because I can't imagine myself engaging in it.
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1054, Siward, the Earl of Northumbria invades Scotland and defeats MacBeth, King of Scotland.
On this date in 1549, Jesuit Priest Francis Xavier's ship arrives at Japan.
On this date in 1663, the English Parliament decrees, in the Second Navigation Act, that all goods headed to the American colonies must be sent from English ports, in English ships.
On this date in 1789, the first U.S. federal government agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs is established (it was the forerunner of today's State Department).
On this date in 1794, Robespierre is arrested after calling for the execution of thousands of "enemies" of the French Revolution.
On this date in 1866, the first permanent transatlantic telegraph cable is completed.
On this date in 1890, Vincent Van Gogh shoots himself. He dies two days later.
On this date in 1900, Kaiser Wilhelm II makes a speech comparing Germans to the Huns. Hun will be used as a derogatory name for Germans for decades afterward.
On this date in 1929, the Geneva Convention of 1929 is signed.
On this date in 1953, South Korean President Syngman Rhee refuses to sign the armistice that was signed by the U.S., North Korea and China; ending the Korean War.
On this date in 1964, 5,000 additional U.S. advisors are sent to South Vietnam.
On this date in 1974, the House Judiciary Committee votes 27-11 to recommend the first article of impeachment against President Richard M. Nixon.
On this date in 1981, six year old Adam Walsh is kidnapped in Florida. His body was found two weeks later. His father would later help create "America's Most Wanted".
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Alexandre Dumas, fil (son of the man who wrote "The Count of Monte Christo" and "The Three Musketeers")
Keenan Wynn
Adolfo Celi
Norman Lear
Mas Oyama
Jack Higgins
Bobbie Gentry
Peggy Fleming
Maureen McGovern
Yahoo Serious
Carol Leifer
Bill Engvall
Donnie Yen
Maya Rudolph
Dolph Ziggler
Movie quotes today come from the underrated film "Duets" from 2000. A young Maya Rudolph had a very small role in it as a karaoke hostess:
Todd Woods: Sorry Candy, I'm going out for a pack of cigarettes.
Candy: But Todd, You don't smoke!
#2
Suzi Loomis: I'm gonna be the only major thing that has happened to you in your life, and you're gonna be jerking off to my memory on your goddamned death bed!
#3
Should U.S. Army Major Nidal Hassan continue to draw his military pay and benefits while he sits in a jail cell awaiting court martial? There is proposed legislation to change the law and allow the military to suspend the pay of someone accused of murder and/or sexual assault, before they are convicted. Is that violating the presumption of innocence? The military can already do this to civilian employees.
Do you feel like seeing Social Security renamed Social Insecurity?
I think it's awesome that actress Danica Mackellar can be both a math genius and look smoking hot as she did the other day on the set of an Avril Lavigne video.
Is the world really huge or incredibly small? I encountered two graduates of the school where I worked today.
When will the NY Yankees finally be able to dump A-Roid (call him Pay-Rod or A-Rod if you wish)?
Does former Washington D.C. mayor Marion Berry really expect anyone to believe his denial today on CNN that he did not smoke crack cocaine?
Is there something wrong with the fact that a Massachusetts couple who put a $1 million winning lottery ticket in the trash only realized they hadn't checked it after coming home from a losing session at the casino?
Does the fact that the film "Animal House" turns 35 tomorrow make you feel old? It sure makes me feel ancient.
Sticking with Animal House for a moment, who'd have thought that Kevin Bacon would become a bigger star than anyone else in that cast?
* * *
After much thought I've concluded that the new-fangled parking meters with sensors on them are not fair. For those who haven't encountered these things, they know that a car is parked in the space they "monitor" and no one can put more money in the meter for that vehicle until is pulls completely out of that space. Also, if the vehicle pulls out of the space, any time remaining on the meter disappears.
I think this isn't just wrong, it's illegal. Or it should be, under the doctrine of unjust enrichment. If you live in an apartment and you have a lease, you must pay the rent on that lease each month. If you move out before the lease is up, you're legally liable for the rent; unless and until the owner re-rents the apartment to a new tenant. Once that happens, you're relieved of the liability for rent because it would unjustly enrich that apartment owner.
The same principle applies here. If I pay to park in a space for an amount of time, that amount of time belongs to me. If I choose to abandon it, it should be up to me to decide if it should disappear or if the next car can just have my unused time. The city is essentially being paid twice for renting out the same space once. It is a textbook example of unjust enrichment.
I suspect some lawyer will come up with this at some point and file a class action suit against large cities who have done this, on behalf of parkers who had to pay for a space that was already paid for.
* * *
Marital infidelity is an old problem. While the percentage of married women who cheat seems to be on the rise, it is still much more likely that the cheating partner in a heterosexual relationship will be the man. However other factors are involved. Women in positions of power/influence or who have much higher earnings appear to be more inclined to cheat than other women.
Why do people cheat? Here are some reasons:
Payback. Whether actual or just perceived, the idea that a partner has cheated on a person may plant a seed in their mind that will lead to their own infidelity.
Physical chemistry. Sometimes one member of the couple reaches the point where they are no longer attracted to their partner, or are more attracted to someone else.
Spending no time together. Look at George Clooney and Stacy Keibler. They weren't married, but their relationship appears to have ended because they'd been apart for months and it would be more months before they could spend any time together. One of the sad facts of military life is that the strong relationships survive the periods of separation and the weak relationships don't. Or they do, but only because someone is being unfaithful.
The subject fascinates me. Maybe because I've been the victim of infidelity more than once, or because I can't imagine myself engaging in it.
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1054, Siward, the Earl of Northumbria invades Scotland and defeats MacBeth, King of Scotland.
On this date in 1549, Jesuit Priest Francis Xavier's ship arrives at Japan.
On this date in 1663, the English Parliament decrees, in the Second Navigation Act, that all goods headed to the American colonies must be sent from English ports, in English ships.
On this date in 1789, the first U.S. federal government agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs is established (it was the forerunner of today's State Department).
On this date in 1794, Robespierre is arrested after calling for the execution of thousands of "enemies" of the French Revolution.
On this date in 1866, the first permanent transatlantic telegraph cable is completed.
On this date in 1890, Vincent Van Gogh shoots himself. He dies two days later.
On this date in 1900, Kaiser Wilhelm II makes a speech comparing Germans to the Huns. Hun will be used as a derogatory name for Germans for decades afterward.
On this date in 1929, the Geneva Convention of 1929 is signed.
On this date in 1953, South Korean President Syngman Rhee refuses to sign the armistice that was signed by the U.S., North Korea and China; ending the Korean War.
On this date in 1964, 5,000 additional U.S. advisors are sent to South Vietnam.
On this date in 1974, the House Judiciary Committee votes 27-11 to recommend the first article of impeachment against President Richard M. Nixon.
On this date in 1981, six year old Adam Walsh is kidnapped in Florida. His body was found two weeks later. His father would later help create "America's Most Wanted".
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Alexandre Dumas, fil (son of the man who wrote "The Count of Monte Christo" and "The Three Musketeers")
Keenan Wynn
Adolfo Celi
Norman Lear
Mas Oyama
Jack Higgins
Bobbie Gentry
Peggy Fleming
Maureen McGovern
Yahoo Serious
Carol Leifer
Bill Engvall
Donnie Yen
Maya Rudolph
Dolph Ziggler
Movie quotes today come from the underrated film "Duets" from 2000. A young Maya Rudolph had a very small role in it as a karaoke hostess:
Todd Woods: Sorry Candy, I'm going out for a pack of cigarettes.
Candy: But Todd, You don't smoke!
#2
Suzi Loomis: I'm gonna be the only major thing that has happened to you in your life, and you're gonna be jerking off to my memory on your goddamned death bed!
#3
Todd Woods: I can't go back to who I was. I'm different now. I sing.
#4
Shop Manager: How'd you like to pay for that? Cash, check, credit card?
Suzi Loomis: Uh, well, we're a little short on money right now, sir, but I'll consider it an honor and a privilege to suck your dick.
[machinery whirs over last word]
#4
Shop Manager: How'd you like to pay for that? Cash, check, credit card?
Suzi Loomis: Uh, well, we're a little short on money right now, sir, but I'll consider it an honor and a privilege to suck your dick.
[machinery whirs over last word]
posted by me at 4:10 PM
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