“THE FRIDAY NIGHT RAMBLINGS”

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of August 15, 2008. So, lets see …  Iraq invades Kuwait.  The World/UN/US immediately react, condemning the attack and invasion.  The UN/World/US demand immediate withdrawal.  When not forthcoming, the World/UN/US mobilize.  Iraq is forcibly removed from Kuwait, (the 1st “Gulf War”).  Russia invades Georgia, (a sovereign nation with a democratically elected government)  …  and the World/UN/US  …  does what?  Nothing.  Georgia has no oil.  But it does have the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, (BTC),  which links the Caspian Sea Oil Fields to the Mediterranean and is a major oil link for Europe. The pipeline is run by and owned by BP, (formerly known as British Petroleum and the 3rd largest energy company in the world) :    “The BTC pipeline also supports Georgia’s independence from Russian influence. Former President Eduard Shevardnadze, one of the architects and initiators of the project, saw the construction of the pipeline through Georgian territory as a certain guarantee for the country’s future economic and political security and stability. This view has been fully shared by his successor President Mikhail Saakashvili. “All strategic contracts in Georgia, especially the contract for the Caspian pipeline are a matter of survival for the Georgian state,” he told reporters on 26 November 2003.”  So why is Europe sitting back watching?  (And the French sucking up to Russia?) I am reminded of  Haile Selassie I, addressing the League of Nations after his country was invaded by Italy: “It is collective security: it is the very existence of the League of Nations. It is the confidence that each State is to place in international treaties… In a word, it is international morality that is at stake. Have the signatures appended to a Treaty value only in so far as the signatory Powers have a personal, direct and immediate interest involved?”  “International morality” remains an oxymoron  … doesn’t it?  We violated it in Iraq, (the second gulf war).  We justified doing so as a preemptive strike against terrorism.  The Russians have violated it in Georgia  …  after Georgia sent in troops to quell a separatist movement  …  and Russia justified invading Georgia to protect Russian Peacekeepers, (and perhaps gain control of the BTC with a regime change).  It is always easy to justify a war after the fact   …   provided you win.  Perhaps Europe is waiting to see who will win? (And by doing so   —  lose.)  As for us?  We are already involved in a four front war, (Iraq, Afghanistan, the War on Terror and the War on Drugs — all of which are not going well),   that has our military strained to the breaking point.  Perhaps, international events are not much interest to Solo and Small Firms lawyers   …  grazing   …  trying to make a living.  Pay back their student loans.  Not much interest when rushing to make a “docket call”, (when a telephone conference call would do the same thing and not add an hour of non-billable time, (not to mention the gas burned, getting there)).  Not have to wait in line with folks called for jury duty because the picture ID issued in one county, will not be honored by another.  And while waiting in line  …  thinking about your daughter  …  chatting about her “best friend” …  just getting back from their family vacation at “Disney World”  … while you wonder how you could do so and not call your office, (to make sure something has not been filed, a motion or deposition, that would require your action),  so you could have the time to defuse, regain perspective about what really matters in life  —  your family!)  We need a vacation rule. 

BBC NEWS –  Eat kangaroo to ’save the planet’.  “Switching from beef to kangaroo burgers could significantly help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, says an Australian scientist. The methane gas produced by sheep and cows through belching and flatulence is more potent than carbon dioxide in the damage it can cause to the environment  …  Dr George Wilson, of the Australian Wildlife Services, urges farming them  …  He said: “It tastes excellent, not unlike venison - only a different flavor.”  A scientist?  It tastes like venison only with a different flavor?  Sorta like saying they are the same  …  only different, isn’t it?  At least he didn’t say   …  “Tastes just like chicken.”
 
BBC NEWS –  Gene hooks smokers at first puff.  “Puffing on a first cigarette is a rite of passage for many teenagers, but whether it is enjoyable may be partly down to genetics, researchers suggest.  University of Michigan scientists have identified a gene variant found more often in people who said their first cigarette produced a “buzz”. These people were much more likely to go on to become regular smokers, the journal Addiction reports.”  ….  (lighting a cigarette …  and experiencing a “buzz”)   …  I don’t believe it for a minute.  I can put them down any time I want to   …  except   …  frankly, I enjoy the “buzz”.  Makes me wonder.  What is it about “Free Will” that causes us to make such bad choices on a regular basis?

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (AP) –  Pup cloning recalls salacious UK kidnapping case. “A woman who made news around the world when she had five pups cloned from her beloved pit bull looked very familiar to some who saw her picture: She is the same woman who 31 years earlier was accused of abducting a Mormon missionary in England, handcuffing him to a bed and making him her sex slave.”  Give me a break!!  Abducting a Mormon missionary for a sex slave?  An Anglican maybe   …  but a Mormon?  Personally, if I were so inclined, I would have kidnapped a “Hari Krishna“.

BBC NEWS –  New mouth bacteria species found. “A brand new species of bacteria has been found by scientists among the hundreds which thrive in our mouths. The bug, named “Prevotella histicola” by its discoverers at King’s College London, is thought to contribute to gum disease and tooth decay.”  I knew there would have to be a scientific explanation for the notoriously bad teeth of the British   …  (whispering)   …  I see a market for a neosporin or a penicillin based toothpaste here!! The Chinese are probably already working on a viable pirated copy.

BBC NEWS — Bullet-proof fashion for S Africa.  “A collection of bullet-proof clothing by Colombian designer Miguel Caballero has been launched in South Africa …  Mr Caballero’s clothes can withstand shots from 9mm pistols to AK-47s and clients fearing knives can pay extra for stab-proofing. The clothing line features suits, suede and leather jackets, raincoats, shirts, vests and denim ware for both men and women.”  I wonder why “stab-proofing” would cost extra?  If it would stop a bullet from an AK-47, it wouldn’t stop a knife blade? Kind of begs the question   —  how do you make a breach of warrantee claim?

(CNN) –  Troops pay baggage fees on way to war zones.  “Some airlines are charging U.S. soldiers extra baggage fees to take their military kits with them as they set off for war. Military personnel carry large, heavy kit bags containing boots, clothing and gear. In the past few months, airlines have instituted fees for all travelers ranging from $15 for one bag to $250 for a third bag …  The military usually issues vouchers authorizing extra baggage before a flight, but troops must pay up front if they don’t have one.  And though reimbursement is likely, pending approval, as with any business expense, it is not guaranteed.”  I can understand airlines having increased costs carrying more than the “normal” baggage a passenger may have, (given the increased costs of fuel)  … and I’m sure the government will reimburse  …  but who should bear the burden of collecting the money?  Our men and women in uniform, getting deployed, already sacrificing?    …  or the airline, who, like all of us, benefit from that sacrifice/service?  I wonder how many of our men and women in uniform, deployed to a war zone, sit there and fill out the forms necessary to get reimbursed?  They probably have other things to worry about.

FORT HAYS, Kansas –  Professor Under Investigation For Mooning Incident.  “A professor at a Kansas university who dropped his pants and mooned a room full of students and teachers is under investigation after video of the incident was posted on YouTube, school officials said   …  We’re sure that there’s probably some facts and information that’s just not available. I mean, you see a lot on the video, but we need to make sure everything is revealed before we take any action,” said Fort Hays provost Larry Gould.”  Isn’t the problem that everything was revealed?  Share with me  …  under what circumstance would “mooning” be justifiable before “a room full of students and teachers?”  The professor was the debating coach:  given his limited expletive vocabulary   …  I can understand why his team scored low!!  I wonder if there are limits to academic freedom 

USA TODAY — Most state workers in Utah shifting to 4-day week.  “Utah this summer will become what experts say is the first state to institute a mandatory four-day work week for most state employees, joining local governments across the nation that are altering schedules to save money, energy and resources  …  The change will apply to about 17,000 employees, roughly 80% of the state workforce, Huntsman says. Public universities, the state court system, prisons and other critical services will be exempt.” Why would public universities and the state court system be considered “critical services”?  Interesting.  Assuming each of these employees live within 10 miles of where they work and their vehicle averages 20 miles per gallon,  that’s 17,000 gallons of gasoline not burned  …  and that is just employees getting to and from work!  How much more is saved by parked state vehicles?  Just makes sense, doesn’t it?

Sitting here editing these Ramblings and watching the evening news.  Russia is thumbing it’s nose at the world by agreeing to cease fires, while moving deeper into Georgia.  The western world keeps talking about dire consequences  …  like there really are consequences.  There obviously aren’t any the Russians have a need to worry about.  Europe is dependent on Russian oil and gas.  This weekend,  I will finally have a chance to catch up on my “Honey Do” list.  There are a bunch of things I need to fix and upgrade at Ft Timmerman.  Our 4 tomato plants are generating enough tomatoes for us to parboil some and freeze them, (course a bunch are getting eatin!!)  I wonder why there is such a difference in taste between the ones you get out of your garden   …  and the ones you buy at the store?  (Bacon is cooking now for a BLT sandwich for supper!!    The “Editorial Staff” is staring up at me  …  they will be disappointed:  no bacon for them!!  Just a quiet evening at home watching the Olympics while I edit some of the images I captured this week  —  then to bed, curling around the best partner, friend and lover a man can have!! And say a prayer of thanks  …  and of course a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?)  …  and what the airlines are doing, really hacks me of!!  Be and sleep well.  The best there is, is on watch so you can.  If my post offends, I apologize  …  that is not my intent.  As always  …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri  …  and the Editorial Staff, Willy, Karly and my ‘Lil Buddy)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of August 8, 2008.  On Tuesday, I lost my bid for Circuit Judge in the primary.  My opponents.  I feel good about it, considering one of my opponents spent $8,275.00, (2,748 votes) and came in second  …  while the winner, (the sitting prosecutor for Johnson County and former child support prosecutor for Cass County under Koster),  spent $4,075.00, (3,296 votes)  …  and I spent $2,528.00, (2004 votes).   Both campaigned heavily  …  I could only afford to campaign evenings and weekends, (that pesky having to make a living thing!).  I don’t believe I need to feel ashamed:  I ran the best campaign I could, given what I had to work with.  I have been told, (and I believe)   …  when God closes one door   …  HE opens another  …  (smiling)   ….  I just wish HE would make the open door easier to see!!  The same issue each one of us face on a day to day basis.  Isn’t life a series of opening and closing doors?  We can focus on a door slammed shut   … or focus on the newly opened door.  You can not change the facts because “facts” are things that have already happened.  A closed door.  But the future is an open door leading to a room/reality where, (because GOD gave us “Free Will”),  we have a chance to make new “facts”.  As for me?  The “facts” that matter to me have not changed.  The “fact” remains, as Solo and Small Firm lawyers, we need a universal picture ID, (or at the very least, reciprocity), to by-pass security in those circuits that have elected to do.  The fact remains, we need a “Vacation/Personal Time Rule”.  The “fact” remains, we need a “Telephone Conference for Docket Calls/Case Management Rule”   …  the “fact” remains, you and I are the backbone of our legal system  …  making access to the courts available to middle and lower class Missouri Citizens, (making dissolution kits on-line, KNOWING some will harm themselves  …  (sigh)  … well   … “Nuff said) . The “fact” remains  …  you and I serve:   we are members of the ONLY three “professions”:  Doctors, Lawyers and Priests.  So share with me  …  why don’t I see television advertising by priests  …  who will save your soul?  “Make a contribution and  father Raul will talk to God and change HIS mind  — you will be saved!”  Or television ads by doctors promising to cure your cancer?  I have not found an example. Can’t even think of one.  But I DO see television ads by lawyers promising to make insurance companies pay  … you money   …   for what?  They didn’t say.  Wonder why the public now view us as “Denny Cranes“  …  instead of “Atticus Finches“?  Changes are in order.  We are not a business.  We are a profession.  ‘Nuff said.

BBC NEWS — More knife criminals facing jail.  “Many more people could be jailed for knife possession, after changes to new knife sentencing guidelines. The Sentencing Guidelines Council has told magistrates that in the current climate of concern over knife crime, sentences should be much tougher  …  Under the new guidelines, anyone carrying a knife in “dangerous circumstances” or using it to threaten or cause fear, should be sent to the Crown Court for trial, where they can expect sentences of six months or more if found guilty.” In response, the British NKA, (National Knife Association), issued a statement:  “Knives don’t kill people, people kill people.“  Go figure.  Where did they come up with that?

VACAVILLE, Calif. — Inmates To Get Free Condoms In Solano County.  “A controversial new pilot program providing free condoms for prison inmates is in its final planning stages. The Solano State Prison is installing 10 condom distribution machines that will be stocked with 1,200 condoms a week. The hope is that the condoms will limit the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among inmates  …  A union representing prison guard supervisors is opposed to the distribution of condoms. The union said that condoms can be used as places to hide drugs or weapons. “They can put stuff in them (condoms) and use them to throw at staff or other inmates,” said Chris Gold of the Prison Supervisor’s Union.”    So, I’m curious.  What kind of weapons can you hide in a condom?  The “fact” remains,  inmates will engage in sex, consensual or otherwise. Predators wouldn’t use a condom. Would making condoms available, be harmful   …   given inmates may be sociopaths and abide by their own “rules”?  What do you think?

BBC NEWS — Doughnut chain gets healthy menu. “Dunkin’ Donuts, the chain famous for its filled doughnuts with icing on top or covered in chocolate sprinkles, is introducing a new healthy menu. The so-called DDSmart menu, which will be introduced in the US in August, does not include any doughnuts. Instead it has nibbles such as an egg white veggie flatbread sandwich.”   Police forces across the nation have threatened a boycott.

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Snack lovers, rejoice: Munching on potato chips just got a little healthier. “Four food manufacturers agreed to reduce levels of a cancer-causing chemical in their potato chips and french fries under a settlement announced Friday by the state attorney general’s office. California sued H.J. Heinz Co., Frito-Lay, Kettle Foods Inc., and Lance Inc. in 2005, alleging they violated a state requirement that companies post warning labels on products with carcinogens.  Studies have shown that acrylamide. which has been found in potato chips, causes cancer in lab animals.” So where is the FDA?  Why would the State of California have to bring suit?

BBC NEWS — Chef sorry for poison plant error. “Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson has apologized after he recommended use of a poisonous plant in recipes. In a magazine interview about watercress and other wild foods, Mr Worrall Thompson said the weed henbane was “great in salads”  …  Henbane - Hyoscyamus niger - has sticky serrated leaves, yellow, funnel-shaped flowers and a stale scent. Its name has Anglo-Saxon origins - meaning killer of hens - and it can cause hallucinations, drowsiness and disorientation in humans.”  Over eating at Thanksgiving gives the same results  … doesn’t it?
 
NEW YORK (AP) –  Too many people use fridge as composter. “As fruit and vegetable prices soar, you can save money by taking some extra time in the produce aisle to make sure bad apples aren’t sneaking into your grocery cart.  The average U.S. household throws out nearly a quarter of the fruits and vegetables they buy. For a family of four, that adds up to about $500 each year, according to a study by the University of Arizona.”  Susan and I were guilty of this  …  until we bought a vacuum packing machine.  We buy bulk and sucker-pack what we can’t use immediately.  Frankly, the machine has paid for itself many times over!!

(CNN) — Report: Edwards admits to extramarital affair.  “Former U.S. senator and Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards admitted to an extramarital affair in an interview with ABC News, the network reported Friday. He denied being the father of the woman’s child, as had been alleged in tabloid reports.  Speaking to the network for a story to be aired Friday night, Edwards acknowledged the affair with 42-year-old Rielle Hunter, which began after she was hired to make documentary videos for his campaign   …  He said that he has not taken a paternity test but that the timing of the affair rules out the possibility that he could be her baby girl’s father.”   When contacted for comments, Bill Clinton just shrugged and wondered if Edwards had any cigars left over.  The Democrat National Party, (DNC), just issued a press release:  “It just proves Democrats are less likely to be gay.“ 

NEW YORK (CNN) –  Gay ex-governor to pay no alimony, judge rules.  “Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey will not have to pay his ex-wife alimony, a judge ruled Friday in granting the couple’s divorce. McGreevey, who left office after coming out as a gay man, was ordered to pay $1,075 in monthly child support to his daughter, Jacqueline  …  Matos had asked for $2,500 a month in alimony for four years and $1,750 a month in child support. McGreevey, now a seminary student, testified he was too poor to pay alimony.” I think it is safe to report that McGreevey will not become an associate paster at the Rev. Phelps church.  According to Wikipedia, “McGreevey has a daughter Morag from his first marriage (1991-1997) to Canadian Karen Joan Schutz.  He has another daughter, Jacqueline, from his second marriage to Portuguese-born Dina Matos McGreevey.  Dina Matos and McGreevey separated after he came out of the closet, and in late 2005 McGreevey and Australian-American executive Mark O’Donnell began a relationship. The two live in Plainfield, New Jersey. McGreevey teaches ethics, law and leadership at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.”  Think of the irony:  he teaches ethics, law and leadership.

Sitting here editing these Ramblings,  thinking about moral decline  … with the “Editorial Staff” behind me on my chair.  What would cause two men, obviously bright, in the public eye, engage in such incredibly self destructive behaviors?  (I’m not referring to McGreevey being gay … but cheating on his wife.)  On the evening news Edwards the lead story, then Russia invading Georgia.  Share with me  …  which is more newsworthy?  Also, Pharmacies refusing to sell contraceptives because of the religious conviction of the owners.  Several States have enacted legislation requiring private pharmacies to fill ALL prescriptions.  Share with me   …  is there a fundamental right to have your birth control prescriptions filled, such as to trigger a “compelling state interest” test?  If there is, doesn’t that mean the State can require Kosher Deli’s to carry non-kosher food?  And tonight, I don’t have to plan to attend “functions” tomorrow  –  no pancake breakfasts, no fish fries and no ice cream socials. Just a quiet evening at home and when the time comes, curling myself around Susan, saying a prayer of thanks  …  and of course, a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?)  Be and sleep well, the best there is, is on watch so you can.  If my post offends, I apologize  —  that is not my intent. As always   …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri  …  and the “Editorial Staff”, Karly, Willy and my ‘Lil Buddy)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of August 1, 2008.  We live in the greatest nation on this earth.  We are Americans, I am a voting member, of the best synthesis of every country, nation and society this earth has to offer because of assimilation.  Stone soup. [Stone Soup is a Grimm Brothers tale about returning soldiers and their guise to get a selfish, starving town to learn the lesson of cooperation and its benefits.]  That being the case, share with me  … why I have to elect between English or Spanish to get customer support for a product manufactured in China? 

WASHINGTON (CNN) –   Bush approves execution of Army private. “President Bush has approved the Army’s request to execute a soldier convicted of rape and murder, the White House announced Monday evening. Pvt. Ronald Gray, seen here in 1988, has been on the military’s death row for 20 years.  Pvt. Ronald Gray has been on the military’s death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, since 1988. His execution would be the first for the U.S. military since 1961, but the White House said it expects further appeals before the sentence is carried out.  “While approving a sentence of death for a member of our armed services is a serious and difficult decision for a commander-in-chief, the president believes the facts of this case leave no doubt that the sentence is just and warranted,” White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.  Gray was convicted of raping and killing a female Army private and a civilian near his post at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was also convicted of the rape and attempted murder of another fellow soldier in her barracks at Fort Bragg.” On “death row” for 20 years?  … and …  MOBILE, Alabama (AP) –  Other inmate’s confession halts execution.  “The Alabama Supreme Court postponed executing a man after an inmate claimed in an sworn statement to defense attorneys that he committed the murder that sent the condemned man to death row. Thomas Arthur received a third stay of execution in Alabama on Wednesday.  The justices in a 5-4 vote late Wednesday stopped the execution by injection of Thomas Arthur “pending further orders of this Court.” Arthur, 66, was scheduled to die Thursday, more than 26 years after he was convicted of killing Troy Wicker Jr. of Muscle Shoals.”  On “death row” for 26 years?  Share with me again  …  why the death penalty is a deterrent?

In news from the sports world:  BBC NEWS  — ‘Wrong bras’ can damage breasts.  “Women who wear the wrong kind of bra could be damaging their breasts, researchers have warned. The breast biomechanics team at the University of Portsmouth said poor support could lead to fragile ligaments in the breast being stretched. They said that during exercise, breasts move up to 21cm (8.26inches), up and down, in and out and side to side - but most bras just limit vertical movement. And they warned crop-top sports bras did not give enough support.”   The Portsmouth biomechanics team will investigate athletic supporters next.   Don’t you wonder who funds this type of research?

BBC NEWS  –  Diet ‘can flavor mother’s milk’.  “Flavors in a nursing mother’s snack can find their way into her breast milk within minutes, research suggests.  A group of 18 women were asked to provide samples of breast milk before and after eating capsules containing various flavors.  New Scientist magazine reported that banana could be detected for an hour after consumption, while menthol lasted for eight hours.”  I wonder how long chocolate lasts? 

BBC NEWS –  Tree-shrew is heavyweight boozer.  “A tiny tree-shrew that lives on alcoholic nectar could - pound for pound - drink the average human under the table, scientists have discovered. Malaysia’s pen-tailed tree-shrew waits until nightfall to binge on fermented nectar from the bertam palm. The animal could give insights into how humans’ alcohol tolerance first evolved, the scientists say.”  The researchers also found, that at the end of the evening  …  male tree shrews who had imbibed the most, were four times as likely to go back to their nest with ugly females.  I suppose a lesson in “natural selection”.

BBC NEWS –  Olympic link to early ‘computer’.  “A 2,100-year-old “computer” found in a Roman shipwreck may have acted as a calendar for the Olympic Games, scientists report in Nature journal. The Antikythera Mechanism has puzzled experts since its discovery by Greek sponge divers in 1901. Researchers have long suspected the ancient clockwork device was used to display astronomical cycles. A team has now found that one of the dials records the dates of the ancient Olympiad. This could have been to provide a benchmark for the passage of time. The device is made up of bronze gearwheels and dials, and scientists know of nothing like it until at least 1,000 years later.”  It took this long for the team to find that “the dials records the dates of the ancient Olympiad” because they kept getting the “blue screen of death” and couldn’t figure out how to re-boot.  Billius Gatus, (the developer of this ancient computers operating system),  must be rolling in his grave, laughing his *ss off!!

Ever wonder why a portion of the world view Americans as gun crazy nut jobs?   BBC NEWS —  US man charged for shooting mower. “A 56-year-old man from the Midwestern US state of Wisconsin has been arrested after shooting his lawn mower in his garden because it would not start.  Keith Walendowski was charged by police in Milwaukee with disorderly conduct and possession of a sawn-off shotgun. He could face a fine of up to $11,000 and a maximum prison sentence of six-and-a-half years if convicted.”   The man is obviously a nutcase.  Anyone with any knowledge of firearms would know not to use a shotgun on a lawn mower.  A shotgun just does not have the punch to bring a lawn mower down:  you have to use a larger caliber weapon, like .45 Win Mag, or a long gun, like a 30.06 or a .308.  Course, if all else fails and you happen to have one  –  there is always your faithful RPG.

BBC NEWS — Women try to open door mid-flight.  “A plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Germany after two British women tried to open a cabin door mid-flight, police have said. The women, aged 26 and 27, were drinking heavily and had to be held in their seats by security staff until the plane landed in Frankfurt. They were arrested and released after two hours, Frankfurt police said.” Sheesh!  You would have to be really fried to mistake a cabin door for the door to the restroom.  Course, I suppose they could also have wanted to relieve themselves on the wing.

BBC NEWS — Trans-fats banned in California. “California has become the first US state to ban restaurants and food retailers from using trans-fats, which are linked to coronary heart disease. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said the new legislation, which will take effect in 2010, represented a “strong step toward creating a healthier future”.  What’s next?  Compel restaurants to limit portion size?  There is no question that we don’t know the long term effects on the human body of some of the chemicals we use in food.  Artificial sweeteners come to mind.  But should food regulation by done at the city level, state level  … or the federal level? 

Sitting here getting ready to go out to a “candidate meet and greet”.  The primary is Tuesday.  I know I have done the best I could with what I had to work with. Whatever God has in store for me will happen.  On the evening news, both McCain and Obama pandering to voters,  the lowest casualty count in Iraq since 2004, while the body count in Afghanistan is on the rise   …  and  …  our congress has not accomplished anything noteworthy.  Congressional approval ratings are lower than our President’s.  The Founding Fathers created a government based on compromise  …  it is not surprising that nothing is being done to address issues like, 48 million Americans with no health insurance, when the fringe elements in both parties are running the country and there is no room for compromise.  Do they even comprehend that we are in a two front shooting war   …  and a “War On Terror?”  A war carried on the backs of the families of National Guard troops and reservists.  Troops who return home to a grossly underfunded and mismanaged Veterans Administration.  We need a change alright  …  but do you really believe Obama and the Democrat leadership or McCain and the Republican leadership, can make it?  I don’t think so. Nor can the other political parties.  Perhaps fundamental change can/will only occur when we change the way we elect our representatives.  Perhaps a start could be a cap on the amount of money any candidate can spend?  Perhaps, have the electronic media donate a limited, equal amount of time to each candidate as part of the cost of getting a broadcast license?  What do I know  …  I remain a dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri who only has faith in one truth:  love.  The love I have for Susan and the love she has for me.  The love I have for my America and the love my God has for me.  And for that, when I get home tonight and finally curl myself around Susan, I will say a prayer of thanks  … and a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?).  Be and sleep well  … the best there is, is on watch so you can.  If my post offends, I apologize  … that is not my intent.  As always  …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl  (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri   ….  and the editorial staff, Willy, Karly, Dinker and my ‘Lil Buddy)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of July 25, 2008.  At the Solo and Small Firm Conference, I had a chance to visit with Charlie Harris, (our Bar President), about how we could encourage our judges to use telephone conferences as a case management mechanism, instead of the cattle  …. er  … docket calls we currently use.  Charlie thought it was a good idea that we needed to look into.  In the mail today, I recieved a copy of a letter from Keith Birkes, (Executive Director of MoBar, on behalf of the Board of Governors),  to my Dear Lady Friend Susan Robertson, Chair of the “Civil Practice and Procedure Committee” requesting:  “… if your Committee would consider the matter, determine if it would be appropriate for the Missouri Bar to encourage more utilization of telephone conference calls for this purpose and, if so, how that might be done”. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it can be done, the Federal Courts are doing so now.  There is also no doubt in my mind that it would benefit Solo and Small Firm lawyers   …  and since we comprise 66% of our Bar,  our Bar should encourage the use of conference calls.  Does it really make sense to force two lawyers to physically appear before a judge, to get a trial setting?  Does it really make sense, to force two lawyers to appear, in person, at the courthouse before a judge, to advise that judge of the status of their case?  Why not have a conference call with the circuit clerk and set a hearing date?  Why not have the court send out a notice:  “Be available by your cell phone for a case management conference at a date and time certain”.  In some courts, this is already done  …  but regulated by local rule or an individual judges preference.  It needs to be the normal way of doing business, state wide.  The only way to do that is by Supreme Court Rule.  The ball is rolling  …  let’s see where it lands.

I have heard nothing about the “Vacation/Personal Time Rule”.  Why?  Isn’t there a BOG election coming up?  Time to get ahold of the person soliciting your vote  …  isn’t it?

BBC NEWS  — Kenyans reject circumcision plan.  “Elders from Kenya’s Luo community  [The Luo population in Kenya was estimated to be 3,185,000 in 1994]  in western Kenya have refused to endorse a plan to promote male circumcision to curb the spread of HIV/Aids. The Luo Council of Elders says it cannot sanction circumcision, as it is against the community’s culture. A ministry of health campaign is trying to encourage more men to be circumcised by offering  free circumcision  services in Nyanza Province. Researchers say circumcision reduces the risk of HIV infection among men.” Sheesh!  Do a “google” on “circumcision” and “aids”.  MSNBC — Report: Male circumcision cuts AIDS risk.  “Study conducted on over 3,000 HIV-negative men, newspaper says male circumcision reduces the risk that men will contract HIV through intercourse with infected women by about 70 percent, according to a study reported in The Wall Street Journal. After discovering the dramatic results, French and South African researchers halted the study about nine months in order to offer the uncircumcised men the opportunity to undergo the procedure, the newspaper reported.”  It reduces the risk of contacting AIDS by 70%  and they won’t allow it because it is against the “community’s culture”?  Just a reminder that we are a self limiting species.

And in the what comes first  –  “The Chicken or The Egg?  –  news  …  BBC NEWS — Breastfeeding trust hormone clue.  “Scientists have for the first time shown how a “trust” hormone is released in the brains of breastfeeding mothers.  It is further proof that breastfeeding promotes the maternal bond through a biochemical process. The team at Warwick University said the hormone oxytocin was known to be released during breastfeeding but the mechanism in the brain was unclear  …  It has been shown to promote feelings of trust and confidence and to reduce fear.” Being male, (my arms folded over chest and shuddering), I obviously can not relate  …  except perhaps about the trust and fear issues!

DENTON � Boy ends up at Hooters after slipping out of day care.  “Investigators are looking into how a young boy managed to slip out of a Denton day care center unnoticed, then cross two busy roads and end up a half-mile away at a Hooters restaurant on Tuesday afternoon   … Deborah Pugh, the day care owner, said the boy had asked to go to the bathroom before he disappeared. When his father arrived minutes later to pick up the child, workers said they realized the boy was missing.”   Hooters obviously needs to review their carding policy!!

BBC NEWS — ‘Yeti hair’ to get DNA analysis.  “Scientists in the UK who have examined hairs claimed to belong to a yeti in India say that an initial series of tests have proved inconclusive. Ape expert Ian Redmond says the hairs bear a “startling resemblance” to similar hairs collected by Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary. He told the BBC the Indian hairs are “potentially very exciting”.”   Makes you wonder, doesn’t it   …   how an “inconclusive startling resemblance” can be “potentially very exciting”  …  kind of verbiage you would use if you were writing a grant for funding a dig for alien remains at Rockwell.  

BBC NEWS  —  Unexpected fall in puffin numbers.  “England’s biggest colony of puffins has seen the birds’ numbers fall by a third in just five years, a survey shows. Experts had expected to see a slight increase in the population on the Farne Islands, owned by the National Trust. The Trust says the size of the decline is unprecedented, adding that it will carry out another survey in 2008 in order to monitor the situation.” Experts theorize this is just another example of global warming.  The Bush administration opined it is the result of a massive increase in Chinese demand for “Puffin Under Glass”. 

Sitting here editing the Ramblings, (the editors are on the chair with me).  In the morning Roy Sturgis and I will leave early, (before it get’s really hot) and plant some 4 x 8 signs in Warrensburg.  I REALLY NEED signs in Cass County, (know anyone willing to have one of my yard signs  … or a business that would be willing to have one of my 4 x 8 signs on their property??).  I spent the afternoon designing my newspaper ad and emailing it, (after credit card payment), to all the newspapers in both counties.  I will spend the remainder of this evening converting some of my old yards signs so I have some tomorrow.  Susan is sacrosanct tomorrow for Mass, (we do it together), so I have to be back by 4.  A busy weekend  —  but tonight, a quiet evening working together at home:  then to bed and off to sleep curled around eachother.  A man could not have a better partner, friend, lover to share this life with.  And for that I will say a prayer of thanks  …  and a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?)  Be and sleep well, the best there is, is on watch so you can.  If my post offends,  I apologize  .. that is not my intent.  As always  …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl  (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri, (and the editorial staff, Willy, Karly and my ‘Lil Buddy)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of July 18, 2008.  I have always been “big boned”,  having spent the majority of my life fighting a losing battle of the bulge.  By the summer of 2003,  I had to buy my clothes from “Emil the Tent Maker”.  I was up to almost 300 pounds and had to wear a size 48 “portly” suit.  I was on high blood pressure meds and was well on my way to becoming a Type2 diabetic.  It was time to do something about it.  So I researched all of the popular low carb diets of the time, (there were 17),  and reached a conclusion.  Diets don’t work.  To manage your weight, you have to change your life style.  You have to change the way you view food. Conventional wisdom at that time and now,  teaches,  that your body is an expandable container holding water, with an open top and a spigot on the side.  The container expands as you add water, (food), and decreases in size as you allow water to flow out of the spigot, (burn calories, exercise).  You can either control the amount of water you pour in, (limit your food intake),  or open the spigot wider, (burn more calories by increasing your exercise level).  Not an exceptable answer for me.  I love good food and hate exercise, (exactly the reason I was up to wearing a size 48 pair of pants!!)  That was when I figured out the common denominator for all 17 diets:  the “glycemic index“,  the way your body processes food.  So, in 2003, I developed “My Diet” and posted it in a series of Ramblings  …  and later created a webpage for it.  Within a year,   I dropped 80 pounds and went from wearing size 48 jeans to size 38 jeans.  I still do today, after 5 years.  “My Diet” is that easy to follow because it is not a diet:  it is just a different way of looking at food. I took the “My Diet” page off-line in 2005.  But after reading my Dear Lady Friend Corinne’s posts about losing weight and the below listed study, I thought there might be an interest in some members of our little “family” learning how to control their weight  …  so, last night, I re-posted the original “My Diet” website.  It gives a detailed explanation of “My Diet”, including why it works, and it has links to over 15,000 low carb recipes, [Note:  all but one or two links are still active!].  “My Diet” works:  need proof?  ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) –  Low-carb diet beats other diets in study.  “The Atkins diet may have proved itself after all.  A low-carb diet and a Mediterranean-style regimen helped people lose more weight than a traditional low-fat diet in one of the longest and largest studies to compare the dueling weight-loss techniques.  A bigger surprise: The low-carb diet improved cholesterol more than the other two. Some critics had predicted the opposite.”  Course, you could go on the commercial version of  “My Diet“   –  it is called “Nutrisystem“.

 BBC NEWS  —  Beirut welcomes freed prisoners.  “The leader of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, has personally welcomed home five militants freed by Israel. The Israelis handed over the prisoners, along with the remains of 200 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters, in exchange for the remains of two of soldiers.”   I suppose, in some obscene way, it shows how the respective parties value life:  two murdered Israeli soldiers   …  vs  … 200 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters?  Strange times we live in.

And in a ballot measure sure to bring out the vote in California:   SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) –  Voters to decide on naming sewage plant for Bush. “A measure seeking to commemorate President Bush’s years in office by slapping his name on a San Francisco sewage plant has qualified for the November ballot.  The measure certified Thursday would rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.  Supporters say the idea is to commemorate the mess they claim Bush has left behind by actions such as the war in Iraq.”  Also on the ballot  …  renaming bathhouses in San Francisco after the Reverend Phelps, (Phil Kline was in the running to have abortion clinics named after him   …   but lost out). An interesting note about the human condition:  ever notice that the most ardent crusaders against vices/immorality   …  get busted for engaging in the very behaviors they are crusading against?

And in other news from San Francisco:  SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) –  They’re stealing your trash. “Every Wednesday night, Bruce Johnson dutifully puts his garbage and recycling on the curb for pickup, and every week he fumes as small trucks idle in front of his home and strangers dig through his bins stealing trash they aim to turn into treasure.  Glass breaks, paper flies — the loot’s gone hours before the waste company even arrives.  “They’re like an army out there,” said Johnson. “They’re in trucks. They’re on cell phones. It’s a business.”  With prices for aluminum, cardboard and newsprint going up and an economic slowdown putting added pressure on people’s pocketbooks, curbside refuse has become a hot commodity.”  Wish the thieves would move to Holden.  We had a recycling center here   …  but it closed down.  There is no place within driving distance to recycle the pile of newspapers and plastic bottles we throw away.  Like anything else, I guess … you have to establish an infrastructure.  As a society, we need to do so.

FRANKFORT, Kentucky (AP) — Snake-handling pastor arrested. “The pastor of a Kentucky church that handles snakes in religious rites was among 10 people arrested by wildlife officers in a crackdown on the venomous snake trade.  More than 100 snakes, many of them deadly, were confiscated in the undercover sting after Thursday’s arrests, said Col. Bob Milligan, director of law enforcement for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. Most were taken from the Middlesboro home of Gregory James Coots, including 42 copperheads, 11 timber rattlesnakes, three cottonmouth water moccasins, a western diamondback rattlesnake, two cobras and a puff adder  …  “You can purchase anything off the Internet except common sense,” Harrison said. “A venomous snake isn’t a pet. You don’t play with it. If you do, you’re an idiot.”  [For an overview of the practice, click “HERE“]  There is no accounting for taste  …  there is even less accounting for faith.  Share with me  …  what else could account for the atrocities committed in the name of God?

It is 9:30 and I just walked in:  I have a booth at the Cass County Fair.  We marshal for the Cass County Fair Parade at 7:30 in the morning, (the parade is at 9:00).  Susan spent the evening making buttons, so we have more for tomorrow.  The Fair will go until 10:00 pm tomorrow night.  This evening, there was a gospel music concert, (my booth is right next to the pavilion).  Must admit, there were some very gifted performers. I really enjoyed the music  …  and visited with some  really nice people. Made me wonder though,  why wasn’t there a Contemporary Catholic Gospel group?  Is there such a thing?  All of the Catholic music I am familiar with is somewhat long in the tooth:  classical, like Andrea Bocelli’s “Sacred Arias“.  For some reason, Catholic Hymnals don’t contain contemporary , standing up singing and clapping your hands kind of rejoicing in the message, music.  Why? Visiting with some of the folks there,  some shared they were raised Catholic but were now active in a protestant congregation, (mostly Baptist).  I wonder what made them change?

I am way tired, really looking forward to curling myself around Susan and going to sleep.  There is no better way to finish my day  —  other than perhaps an acknowledgment to God that I am so grateful to be able to do so.  I wouldn’t be the first to acknowledge the power of prayer, but I do. I pray  …  to thank God for His many blessings  …  and for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?) Susan calls.  Be and sleep well, the best there is, is on watch so you can.  If my post offends, I apologize  — that is not my intent.  As always …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri  …  I would give credit to the Editorial Staff  …  but they are all crashed on the bed with Susan  … )

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of July 11, 2008.  Our “profession” is in trouble. Not from the outside,  but as is usually the case, from within. Our officers have shot us in the foot. No doubt, well meaning, but, sold out to public sentiment. They bought into the premise, we are a business, just like any other. Denigrated the training we have, (I don’t know about you  …  but earning a Masters in Psych was a cakewalk, compared to Law School!!)   Denigrated our role as defenders of our American system of justice, (the best, fairest, most just system in the civilized world!  With rules of evidence, refined over a thousand years, (the Battle of Hastings, 1066, the origins of the “Common Law”),  centered on determining the truth!)  …  to being scriveners.  And then undermined that, by providing “forms” on-line  …  that all agree, some will use to harm themselves?  “Forms” comprise the practice of law? I don’t think so.

I have decided to apply for Justice Limbaugh’s seat on the Supreme Court.  I have the educational credentials, (MA, JD),  I have the legal experience, (I am licensed to practice in EVERY level of court in our America, including the Supreme Court of the United States,  ran a 16 member law office association and I have been in the Solo practice of law since 1982),  and life experience, (veteran, well travelled here and abroad,  a 30 year member of the American,   Legion, Mason, Shriner, 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, served as Holden City Attorney, Prosecutor and on the city council and am very active in my church  …  aren’t those the credentials you would want in a Judge?  And perhaps the most important attribute  … I KNOW what the practice of law, representing middle class, every day persons is about. Been there, done it. The “Non-Partisan Plan” being non-partisan  …  I have a shot at it  …  don’t I?

In other political thoughts:  conventual wisdom remains, money is the life blood of any campaign.   But I wonder.  Is there such a thing as “sweat equity” in a campaign?  Folks who don’t have the money to contribute   …  but are willing to walk in a parade, or walk “door to door” with you?  Does it really take THAT much money to run successfully?  Sadly  …  feet on the ground help  —  but it takes MONEY to buy signs, radio and newspaper advertising.

BBC NEWS –  French to shell out over snails. “Producers warn the price of snails - one of France’s more exotic foodstuffs - is about to soar, because of economic development in eastern Europe.  France consumes more than 14,000 tons of snails every year but practically none of them are actually French.  With the most prized species now under protection, the industry relies on central and east European imports  … With only a few snail farms still active in France itself, mainly in the hills of Burgundy, the French Federation of Preserved Food Industries is warning that the days of cheap snails are over.”   From what I understand, the French being as francophobic as they are  …  the greatest expense remains   …  teaching the snails to speak French.  As an aside, snail farming is a VERY highly regulated business in our America  …  and very profitable.  Profitable I guess  …  because we don’t care what language they speak.
 
BBC NEWS –  Male biological clock ‘ticks too’. “Scientists say they have found more evidence that men as well as women have biological clocks and that they start to tick in their mid-30s.”  Very true  — but the clock ticks backward.  The older a man gets, the younger the women he is attracted to.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ticks on a plane delay flight for six hours. “Some wayward ticks delayed a United Airlines flight from Denver, Colorado, to Des Moines, Iowa.  Flight 1178 was delayed for nearly six hours on Tuesday after a passenger informed a flight attendant that she found a tick in economy class during a flight from Washington, D.C., to Denver   …  Ticks can spread diseases, including Lyme disease.”  In response, Homeland Security has filed a request with the Bush Administration for increased funding to install “Tick Detectors” at airports   …  and to counter this bio-terrorist threat, all passages will be “deloused” before boarding. New dress rules have also been issued:  all passengers must wear light colored, loose fitting clothing.  The ACLU response?  A threat to bring an action against the FAA, claiming the dress code violated a passenger’s 2nd Amendment right to bare arms.

Racism remains alive and well in our America:   (UWIRE) –  Study: Medical students show racial bias.  “Edna sits on an examining table ready and alert — she wants answers about the lump in her breast. areas as well, such as gender and weight.  For each of the 21 medical students who enter the room, Edna’s fears are still to be discovered. They each see the same 55-year-old woman, each meet with the same brown eyes. They all hear the same Southern twang in her voice and the same tremor of fear when she asks if she could have cancer. The only difference is that 12 of the students see a dark-skinned version of Edna, and the other nine students see a light-skinned version. Edna is a computer-animated image projected life-size on the side of a white wall, and she is used in a study monitoring the interactions of medical students with virtual patients. The study, which has three of five authors from UF, found white medical students were less empathetic toward black virtual patients in one-on-one interviews.”   In related news  …  female veterinary students showed increased empathy for cats, while male veterinary students should increased empathy for dogs.  Both showed no empathy for reptilians and insects.

Short Ramblings tonight. Sitting here planning my tomorrow, (starting with a pancake breakfast). The assistant editors are asleep on the chair behind me.  Susan went into a re-nesting frenzy  …  and has taken over the conference room.  The conference room now looks like an isle at “Hobby-Lobby”  …  a really, really wide isle, (the room is 16′ x 24′).  I have no doubt,  she will expand her inventory of “needs” to fill it.  And nothing pleases me more  …  than seeing her smile.  She remains my only need.   My “tender mercy”.  And for that I will say a prayer of thanks when I curl myself around her and drift off to sleep.  Course, I always say a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?)  Be and sleep well  …  the best there is, is on watch so you can.  If my post offends, I apologize  –  that is not my intent.  As always  …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri   …  and the editorial staff, Willy, Karly and ‘Lil Buddy)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of July 4, 2008.  We have two members of the SFIG “Family”, (that I know of  –  if there are others, PLEASE let us know  …  so we can support you!!),  running for the Board of Governors.  Paul Henry and Philip Prewitt.  I personally vouch for and endorse both.  Neither are incumbents.  Remember:  the majority of incumbents voted for a Dues Increase, (because we had not had one for 14 years and we HAD TO have one to maintain current bar services  –  then allocated 1 million dollars of our dues to educate the public about the non-partisan plan, while having a Board meeting in the Bahamas  …  and the dues increase doubled the budget of the OCDC).  The majority voted for pro se “Dissolution Packets”, knowing some folks will use them to harm themselves.  (As an aside,  it also harms our profession by fostering a belief we are only overpaid scriveners.  We aren’t.) I know we have some “Solo and Small Firm” friendly board members  –  Alan Gallas, Dana Tippin Cutler, Doug Noland, Allan Seidel and Pat Starke come to mind. We need more. We need a majority.  May I ask a question?  Did you become a lawyer to make a living and pay off your student loan debt  … or  …  did you decide to become a lawyer to make a difference in peoples lives  … and by doing so  …  make a living and pay off your student loan debt?  Different focus  … isn’t it?  If the former  … don’t bother voting in the BOG election, (you wouldn’t anyway).  If the latter,  make the time to vote and make the time  …  to ask the candidates, (if incumbents),  in your district, these questions, (just call them up on the phone and ask!!):   “What is the status of our “Vacation/Personal Time” rule?  What is the status of the “Universal Picture ID” rule, (should a county issue a picture ID to bypass security, they must honor the picture ID of a sister county that has elected to do so — reciprocity?)  [Note:  in an article in this weeks Lawyer’s Weekly, Keith Birks, (whom I like and respect), is quoted, (paraphrased),  “to get it done, all we need is some initiative by the Board of Governors”  —  no doubt, he forgot Joe Whisler, 2004-2005 Bar President tried]  What is the status of a rule suggesting/mandating “telephone status conferences”, instead of in person “docket calls’?  Then vote accordingly.  PLEASE   …  exercise your most precious personal right,  make the time to vote!!

A lot of discussion on the SFIG about “Red Light Cameras” this week.  The latest research I could find:    ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2008) �  Red-light Cameras Increase Crashes, Florida Researchers Find.  “Rather than improving motorist safety, red-light cameras significantly increase crashes and are a ticket to higher auto insurance premiums, researchers at the University of South Florida College of Public Health conclude  …   Some studies that conclude cameras reduced crashes or injuries contained major �research design flaws,� such as incomplete data or inadequate analyses, and were conducted by researchers with links to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The IIHS, funded by automobile insurance companies, is the leading advocate for red-light cameras. Insurers can profit from red-light cameras, since their revenues will increase when higher premiums are charged due to the crash and citation increase, the researchers say   … a 2001 paper by the Office of the Majority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives, reporting that red-light cameras are �a hidden tax levied on motorists.� The report concluded cameras are associated with increased crashes, the timings at yellow lights are often set too short to increase tickets for red-light running, and most research concluding cameras are effective was conducted by one researcher from the IIHS.”  Interesting.  Every governing body wants/needs more money to serve, (what they perceive to be),  the needs of their constituents.  Red-light cameras are an easy source of income  …  touted as a “public safety” device, punishment for those scofflaws who run red lights.  Every one of them   … the “other guy”.  Not even the “other guy”  … but the “other guy’s” car  … the registered owner of the vehicle is cited, not the actual driver.  It is an “infraction”, like a “parking ticket”, really not a “criminal” offense  …  so “due process”, the right to confront your accuser isn’t required  …  is it?  From a public safety standpoint,  is a significant increase in relatively minor intersection “rear-ender” accidents worth avoiding one serious intersection “t-bone” accident?  I suppose there is an argument to be made  — there is.  Share with me  …  would the insurance industry really push/advocate devices that result in increased crashes  … so they can increase premiums?  They wouldn’t  … would they?

And, this is after all, America  …  the home of entrepreneurship:  there is aways a buck to be made.  PhotoBlocker:  “A majority of red light & speed cameras utilize strong flash to photograph the license plate on your car. Once sprayed on your license plate, PhotoBlocker�s special formula produces a high-powered gloss that reflects the flash back towards the camera. This overexposes the image of your license plate, rendering the picture unreadable. With PhotoBlocker, your license plate is invisible to traffic cameras yet completely legible to the naked eye.”  The company is thriving!  They increased their product line to include “PhotoShield” and “Reflector” license plate covers.  Anyone interested in a company I plan on forming:  phony magnetic license plate covers, you clip onto your license plate when you park your car   …  and a rotating license plate bracket, (when/if you get pulled over, the bracket rotates to show your real license plate  …  and shows a phony one the rest of the time.)  I think I may be on to something here!! 

And in the “prosecutorial discretion” news   —  MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AP) –   Student charged with trying to sell vote on eBay.  “A college student claimed it was all a joke when he put his vote in this fall’s presidential election up for sale on the Web auction site eBay. But prosecutors didn’t see the humor. University of Minnesota student Max P. Sanders, 19, was charged with a felony Thursday in Hennepin County District Court after allegedly asking for a minimum of $10 in exchange for voting for the bidder’s preferred candidate   …  “There are two things going on here in terms of why it’s a crime,” he said. “One is the notion that elections should be a contest of ideas and not of pocketbooks — at least not in the sense of straight-out ‘I can buy your vote.’ The second notion is that everybody gets one vote, and you don’t get to buy another one.”"  Gee, what a novel idea  — “elections should be a contest of ideas and not of pocketbooks”. Would someone please advise the political establishment of that?  I didn’t know it was against the law to sell a vote.  Is it also against the law to buy a vote?  So share with me   …  how much money/person hours will this prosecutor spend to prosecute this kid?

DALLAS, Texas (AP) –  19th Dallas County inmate freed by DNA.  “A Texas man who spent more than 15 years in prison after being wrongly convicted of kidnapping and robbery raised both arms skyward and collapsed in his mother’s embrace Thursday after being told he was a free man.  Patrick Waller’s sobs were the only sound at a crowded hearing attended by four other inmates also exonerated by DNA testing  …  Waller is the 19th man in Dallas County since 2001 shown by DNA evidence to be innocent of the crime for which he was convicted. That’s more than any county in the nation, according to The Innocence Project in New York, a legal center specializing in wrongful-conviction cases.” Texas executed 26 people last year, (“In 2007, 42 persons in 10 States were executed — 26 in Texas; 3 each in Alabama and Oklahoma; 2 each in Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee; and 1 each in South Dakota, Georgia, South Carolina, and Arizona.”)   As of 2006,  there are 3,228 prisoners on death row.   Seems like every month, someone sitting in prison is exonerated by DNA evidence  …  after being found guilty:  not one of the members of the jury that found them guilty  –  having a “reasonable doubt”.  Doesn’t it make you wonder if one of the 3,228 persons waiting execution  …  is innocent?   

Sitting here editing these Ramblings and thinking about this 4th of July. As a naturalized citizen, (Mineola, New York, 1965)  …  I don’t take the ability to celebrate Independence Day lightly.   I remain an example of what is possible in our America.  After coming to this country with only our suitcases, my parents, my brother and sisters have built a good life.  My brother works for Homeland Security at KCI.  My sister Barbara is a Masters level medical anthropologist while my sister Kay is a Masters level nurse anesthesiologist, (her malpractice premium is more than I make in two years!!).  I have earned a Masters Degree in Psychology and a Juris Doctorate, recieved a MoBar Distinguished Service award, the Missouri Junior College Association “Alumni of the Year” award and was named Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly, “2007 Missouri Lawyer of the Year”  …   and I am running for office, to finish my career in public service, as a Circuit Judge.  Although running as a Republican, I have been endorsed by a Liberal Democrat Blog, “Gone Mild“, (the Blog, BTW, is always an interesting read).  What other nation on this earth, could afford a family of immigrants and their children, such opportunity?  As a nation, like you and I, we remain a work in progress.  We will make mistakes   …  and we will learn from them.  We remain a nation designed, (by our Founding Fathers), to be governed by committee/consensus:  no single person has the power to impose their will on us. Nor does either of the major political parties. Our “Bill of Rights” is alive and well  …  this past week, the 2nd Amendment, (the right to own and bear arms), being interpreted and affirmed as an individual fundamental right   …  proving, we remain a nation of laws, not men.  For the past 232 years, through times of war and peace, the pendulum of public opinion has swung to the left and to the right, while our laws evolved  …  yet, somehow  …  as a nation,  we have remained centered on the most fundamental founding premise:   “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”  …  our laws will, no doubt, evolve further as our society matures.  I am proud to be part of a profession, that enables such evolution.

We celebrated the past 7 Independence Days, at war  …  a war we did not want, did not start and which will continue into the foreseeable future, (no matter who winds up being elected President).  Afghanistan and Iraq have turned out be places, (time will tell if they were poorly chosen), where we are engaging our enemy.  They are only battles in a war we can not negotiate our way out of  …  nor afford to lose. It is a war, not between nations, but between mutually exclusive ways of life and belief structures.  You and I will continue to have family, friends and neighbors serving our America  …  some in uniform, some not but serving none the less.  And therein lies the true meaning of “patriotism”.  Service and sacrifice. Honoring those that have served.  Honoring those, (and their families), that are serving   …  even while working, (should you believe so),  to change the policies or leadership,  that put them in harms way. Being able to so, is,  what makes our America the greatest nation on this earth.  I say a prayer of thanks for being able to curl myself around Susan each night,  the “Editorial Staff” and “Dachshunds for Timmerman“,  curled up on the bed with us.  Tonight I will say a special prayer of thanks, for the privilege of being an American citizen   …  and a prayer for the safe and soon return home, of those who are serving now  …  in uniform or on the fireline in California, patrolling our streets or waiting in a firehouse somewhere, (care to join me?).  Be safe   …  and sleep well, the best our America has to offer, is on watch so you can.  If my post offends, I apologize  –  that is not my intent.  As always …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl  (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri   …  and the “Editorial Staff”, Willy, Karly and ‘Lil Buddy)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of  June 27, 2008.  Some interesting discussions on the SFIG this week about Kennedy v. Louisiana,  , [ No. 07�343 ], in essence holding, (5-4),  that the death penalty is not a viable sanction for the rape of a child, (not resulting in death), under the 8th Amendment, (”Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”)  The majority opinion was written by Justice Kennedy, in which Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer, JJ joined.  The dissenting opinion was written by Justice Alito, with whom The Chief Justice, (Roberts),  Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas joined. Interesting arguments for and against.  Interesting, in the sense that the majority opinion was written by a “swing” Justice and joined by the “liberal” members of the court  —  while the dissenting opinion was authored and joined by the “conservative” members of the court.  So  … the Old Testament of the “Good Book” teaches “an eye for an eye“  —  while the New Testament of the “Good Book” teaches, “turn the other cheek“.  Perhaps I am wrong.  But from what I see, the “Right” is “pro life”, while being pro “death penalty”  …  while the “Left” is pro “Freedom of Choice” and against the “Death Penalty”.  Put another way  —  the “Right” believes killing a fetus is wrong while killing an adult is Ok  …  while the “Left” believes it is OK to kill a fetus  … but killing an adult is not.  Share with me how that makes sense? Aren’t we all created in God’s image?  Isn’t the taking of human life immoral under ANY circumstance  …  but justifiable to preserve human life?  An afterthought  …  didn’t the “liberal” majority in Kennedy affirm “an eye for an eye” for a child rapist by NOT helping them leave this reality for a “better place”, (as opposed to life in prison?)  An “eye for an eye”?   …  last I checked  …  “soap on a rope” is not available in prison.

And also this week, your 2nd Amendment right to own a firearm was affirmed.  The good news?  You have a constitutionally protected right to own a handgun.  The bad news?  In some jurisdictions, you will not be able to leave your house with it.  Such is the difference between abrogation and regulation. 

NEW YORK (CNN) –  ‘Naked Cowboy’ can sue makers of M&Ms.  “An underpants-clad New York guitarist known as the “Naked Cowboy” can proceed with his trademark infringement lawsuit against the maker of M&Ms and its ad agency, a New York judge has ruled.  Robert Burck has become a fixture in Times Square for playing the guitar dressed in a white cowboy hat, white cowboy boots and white underpants while tourists pose with him for pictures and slip money into his boots.  In February, the street performer filed a lawsuit against Mars Inc. and Chute Gerdeman Inc., after they released a video billboard showing a guitar-playing blue M&M dressed in a white cowboy hat, cowboy boots and underpants.”  Great marketing idea   —  right up there with the “Village People” M&Ms!  (Makes me wonder though  …  in winter, does the “naked Cowboy” perform in a “union suit“?)

And your tax dollars at work  …  WASHINGTON (CNN) –  Scientist’s anthrax lawsuit settled for $2.8 million.  “A former Army scientist who was named a “person of interest” in the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the Justice Department. Steven Hatfill sued former Attorney General John Ashcroft and the department in 2003, claiming that his privacy was violated when his name was leaked to the media in connection with an investigation into the biological attacks in the eastern United States.”  I would comment  …  but no doubt “Homeland Security” is listening  …  and I would to become a “person of interest”.  I have a desire to visit Guantanamo,  (although the Writ of Habeas Corpus now applies  —  assuming someone knows you are there.)  

And speaking of “Homeland Security”:  BBC NEWS — Biometrics picks up the penguins. “The problem of keeping track of thousands of near-identical African penguins may have been solved.  Researchers have developed surveillance technology that can identify individual birds and then monitor them over long periods of time. The team says the system will boost our understanding of the animals; it could even help ecologists solve the mystery of how long penguins live.”   It could also be used by the “Red Light” cameras being adopted to make intersections safer, (and generate additional income  –  never mind, they make intersections more dangerous),  to track individuals.  Course, that would never happen in our America   …  would it?

Short Ramblings tonight  –  we have to get up early for the Belton “Community Days” parade in the morning.  I have recieved the endorsement of my “Editorial Staff”  …  so they will also walk/ride with us in the parade.  They have their own “Dachshunds For Timmerman“  float.   We will have a “sign making, pin making and t-shirt making” party at Ft Timmerman on Sunday.  Some friends are coming over for ‘burgers and they will then man the Ft. Timmerman Sheltered Workshop.  We have about 6,000 pins to make.  200 yard signs to make.  And 50 T-shirts to make.  Care to come to Ft Timmerman on Sunday at 12:30?  Susan calls  …  reminding me, we have to get up at 5:00 am.  So, I will call it a night  …  curl myself around her and say a prayer of thanks for being able to so, (remembering all the blessings we enjoy:  and they are many!!)  As I am want to do every night before I go to sleep  …  I will say a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?)  Be and sleep well  …  there are many on watch tonight, (some in uniform, some not)  …  so you can. If my post offends, I apologize.  I have no desire to do so.  As always  …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl  (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden Missouri  —  and the editorial staff, Willy, Karly and my ‘Lil Buddy.)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of June 20, 2008.  I could not post a Ramblings last week, (the only time since February of 2002  —  but I did post the images I captured at the Solo and Small Firm Conference!  I could not do both.)  The price of gas is really hitting home for all of us. Course, some of us have been here before  — the oil embargo in 1967 and again in the fall of 1973.  Didn’t our elected representatives promise they would make our America “Foreign Oil Independent?  And we re-elected them    …  they delivered  …  didn’t they?

The fact remains, we need to reduce the amount of energy we consume.  So, let’s start with something simple.  How about instead of driving to the courthouse for “docket calls” or “case management” conferences, [for non-lawyers reading this — the way a judge manages his/her caseload by getting updates from the parties attorneys about the status of their case]  —  we start using a technology readily available:  a telephone conference?  Some judges will object.  Some judges will argue that doing so will hinder their ability to help settle cases and thereby, move cases from their dockets.  Some judges require the attorneys AND their clients to appear,  (so, there are 4 people driving to the courthouse).  Perhaps so.  No doubt, you and I have had judges try to “hammer” a settlement  …  but share with me  …  when did it become a judges job to do so? A settlement based on the unsworn, hearsay, representations of the parties attorney’s  …  en camera?  May satisfy our supreme court, (moving them cases), but share with me how that fosters a sense of impartiality, fairness and access to our court system:  a chance to be heard, in our citizens?  It doesn’t.  Using telephone conferences to manage cases, given the rising cost of fuel and the reduced time, travel and waiting in the courtroom   …  only makes sense.  I proposed this initiative to our Bar President, Charlie Harris, at the conference, (I have his permission to share that I did)   …  and his response? He is in favor of it  … and  …  there will be a Bar committee formed to investigate the suggestion. So  …  “The check is in the mail.”  Perhaps it is.

BBC NEWS — Plane abandoned at Hanoi airport. “Vietnamese authorities say they are mystified as to who owns a Boeing 727 which has been abandoned at Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport. The plane was flown in from Siem Reap in neighboring Cambodia in late 2007 and has been unclaimed ever since.”  I guess   …  it was cheaper to abandon it   …  than “fill it up”! 

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) –  $500 a month, free gas to drive a billboard.  “Misha Di Bono zips around town in her Infiniti sport-utility vehicle, breezy and unconcerned about the price of gas.  Misha Di Bono says people used to make fun of her rolling billboard. She gets $500 a month and free gas.  That’s because she gets $500 a month — plus free gas — for turning her car into a rolling billboard for Jobing.com, the online recruiting company she works for.”  Do they need corporate counsel  …  I have an SRT 4 Dodge Caliber  ….  I could put $200.00/month in my pocket!!

WASHINGTON (CNN) –  Court limits defendant’s right to act as own lawyer.  “The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a state has the right to prevent a possibly schizophrenic defendant from serving as his own lawyer in a criminal court. The justices concluded, 7-2, that trial judges had discretion to take “realistic account” of an Indiana man’s mental capacities in the case of self-representation.  At issue is whether the fundamental right of an accused person to represent himself or herself applies to those whose are competent enough to stand trial, but perhaps not enough to plead their own defense.”  Really tough call.  “A defendant is presumed competent to stand trial unless his mental condition prevents him from understanding the nature and object of the proceedings against him, or the court determines that he is unable to assist in his defense, Dusky v. United States, 362 U.S. 402 (1960) (test for competency to stand trial is whether the defendant “has sufficient present ability to consult with his lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding–and whether he has a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him.”). [Note, click “HERE“, for a list of cases and  discussion of the issue  — an interesting read.]  Dusky presupposes the defendant has a lawyer.  So  …  to be deemed “competent” to stand trial, a person must have a rational, factual understanding of the proceedings, (including, no doubt, the consequences) and can lack the competence to decide to represent themselves? Interesting.  Share with me  … what is the “compelling state interest” in abrogating that person’s fundamental right to represent themselves?  Who or what is harmed?  Share with me   …  once having been found competent to stand trial, should a trial judge have the discretion to gauge a defendant’s mental capacity for determining that persons right to self-represent?  Somewhat inconsistent with handing out “Pro Se Dissolution Kits”   …  isn’t it?

The Ramblings are short this week:   it’s 8:30 and I just got home after campaigning at the Peculiar Summerfest 2008.  There will be a “Tractor Pull” tomorrow night,  two pancake breakfasts, a farm auction, (should be alot of people attending that), Mass at 5 and St Patricks new building dedication at 6.  It will be a full day of campaigning tomorrow.  There will be an opening on the Supreme Court and I will apply for that:  perhaps there is room on the court for a real working lawyer who understands what the practice of law is really about.  You and I represent real people with real problems.  I rewrote my “Judicial Philosophy” webpage to reflect what I believe the role of a judge should be.  But then, if you have read these Ramblings for any length of time, you already know.  I’m tired and I have to get up early to make the first Pancake Breakfast in Warrensburg at 7:00 am.  I ordered 50, 4′ x 8′, two color signs today  —  so my campaign chest is empty   … (whispering)  …  there is a PayPal button you can click to make a contribution!!!  I’m working hard and I’m willing to do the dance  …  just help me pay for the costumes!!  (For those of you who have  –  please accept my heartfelt thanks  –  being named Missouri Lawyer of the Year is an honor I feel I don’t deserve:  you do.  I made suggestion, but YOU made the changes that benefit Solo and Small Firm Lawyers  — finishing my career on the bench, public service, as a “Thank You” for the privilege of being an American Citizen, would be the real honor.)  Susan calls  —  and for me, there is nothing better than curling myself around her  — and drifting off to sleep.  As I’m want to do, I will say a prayer of thanks and a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?)  Be and sleep well, take a moment as you drift off to sleep and count the many blessings you enjoy  … safe-guarded by those serving in uniform:  not the least of which being our firefighters, law enforcement  …  and our Military, National Guard and Reservists. The editorial staff left when Susan went to bed  —  so I guess I will have to fight for room!  If my posts offends, I apologize  — that is not my intent.  As always  …
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl  (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri  …  I would give credit to the Editorial Staff  …  but they bugged out on me!!)

Greets and Huggers.  Posted the evening of June 6, 2008.  We are a week away from our “Family Gathering”,  the Solo and Small Firm Conference.  The conference has come a long ways, no doubt, due to the efforts of Momma O, (Linda Oligschlaeger) and David Browning, (the founding father of the SFIG).  A few of us were fortunate enough to join in, when we realized we comprised 66% of our Bar  …  but have a disproportionate voice.  The fact remains, we are our Bar. WE pay the dues that fund our Bar,  even though, you, like me, live “hand to mouth”.  I have no doubt some of you found it offensive, that the leaders of our Bar raised our dues to fund a defense of the “Non-Partisan Plan”, (to the tune of 1 million dollars!!), within weeks   …  while we still don’t have a personal time/vacation rule   …  nor have a universal picture ID policy, (if a county issues a picture ID to by-pass security  — they must honor the picture ID of a sister county that has elected to do so.)  A question of priorities  … isn’t it?  I guess it shows what really matters to those who are covering our back.  Yet, I must say … there have been changes made that benefit Solo’s  …  we now have a statute of limitations for Bar Complaints, (5 years) and, we can destroy files after no contact with a client after 10 years.  But we still need a vacation/personal time rule and   … a universal picture ID rule.  Let’s get it done and this old “Gad Fly”   …  will fade into the woodwork.  Will spend my time  … helping Susan do rescues.  “Nuff said.

WASHINGTON (AP) –  Cell phone users secretly tracked in study.  “Researchers secretly tracked the locations of 100,000 people outside the United States through their cell phone use and concluded that most people rarely stray more than a few miles from home.  The first-of-its-kind study by Northeastern University raises privacy and ethical questions for its monitoring methods, which would be illegal in the United States. It also yielded somewhat surprising results that reveal how little people move around in their daily lives. Nearly three-quarters of those studied mainly stayed within a 20-mile-wide circle for half a year.”  Must be an old study.  With the price of gas being what it is   …  most folks stay within walking or biking distance of their homes. Wouldn’t this be a wonderful time for our courts to explore teleconferencing technologies, instead of making us drive to the courthouse for a docket call or case management?  Think about the number of lawyers you saw present, in and out of the courtroom during your last docket call/case management  …  and how much gas was burnt to bring them there and back?  Doesn’t it just make sense?

DETROIT, Michigan (AP) –  Thieves take Jesus statue from church cross. “Thieves who stole an 8-foot statue of Jesus Christ off a crucifix in Detroit may have been seeking copper to sell as scrap. Problem is, it’s made of plaster. The Rev. Barry Randolph said Wednesday that the statue at the Church of the Messiah is green and looks like copper, one of several metals coveted by thieves because of soaring scrap prices.”  The thieves were found two blocks from the church and the statue recovered.  They had been struck by lightening.  [FOOTNOTE:  DETROIT, Michigan (AP) — Woman finds missing Jesus statue in alley.  “A Detroit woman has found Jesus in an alley. The pastor of the Church of the Messiah says its stolen 8-foot Jesus statue was recovered from bushes in an alley about two blocks away from the church. Patricia Bowers says she notified the church late Wednesday that she had seen the statue the previous day after she had gotten off a bus. Bowers says she didn’t realize the green-hued, plaster statue had been stolen until seeing news reports Tuesday night.”  Give me a break!!  You would not report an 8′, green Jesus statute laying in the bushes?? Course, that also begs the question   …  why was Jesus painted green?]

BBC NEWS — Father denied vasectomy reversal. “A man who wants another baby after his son died of cancer has been told he cannot have a vasectomy reversal on the NHS because he still has a daughter. Andrew Preston, of Clayton, Staffs, said he wanted to “rebuild” his family after Ben, eight, died last year  …  But North Staffordshire Primary Care Trust said the family’s circumstances were not exceptional enough. The trust said the procedure would only be considered if all children in a family had died  …  “We got a letter from the trust which basically said our circumstances are not exceptional because we’ve not lost all of our children - just one - and apparently that’s not good enough.”   … and in related news  …  BBC NEWS — Baby hope for earthquake parents.  “China is sending medics to offer reverse sterilization operations to parents who lost their only children in last month’s quake, state media says.  The family planning authorities say the team will provide counselling, surgery and in-vitro fertilization treatment.”  So many children were killed in the earthquake because of the shoddy construction of the school houses they were in.

TORONTO (Canadian Press) � Study shows hybrids of bird flu and human flu viruses fit well, could occur.  “An experiment mating H5N1 avian flu viruses and a strain of human flu in a laboratory produced a surprising number of hybrid viruses that were biologically fit, a new study reveals.  And while none of the offspring viruses was as virulent as the original H5N1, about one in five were lethal to mice at low doses, showing they retained at least a portion of the power of their dangerous parent.  The work suggests that under the right circumstances - and no one is clear what all of those are - the two types of flu viruses could swap genes in a way that might allow the H5N1 virus to acquire the capacity to trigger a pandemic. That process is called reassortment.”  Actually, the process is called recombination.  Perhaps the outrageous price of gas is a God send.  Susan and I are working at home to avoid having to travel, (any trip outside Holden will burn 100 miles of gas)  …  we are using the Internet more to communicate with clients.  Something we will all need to do, when there is a quarantine. Case management by conference call saves time and money. Communicating with clients by Email just makes sense.  We have the technology, why not use it?  So share with me  …  do you have your 90 day quarantine stash set up? Please  …  if you haven’t, do so.  Worst case scenario?   …  you have 90 days of food and meds, the things you need  …  you bought using todays dollars.  Just do it.

BBC NEWS — NZ hedgehog assault man is fined.  “A man who attacked a teenage boy with a hedgehog has been fined by a New Zealand court. William Singalargh, 27, had asked his victim if he wanted to “wear a hedgehog helmet” before hurling the animal at the 15-year-old on 9 February  …  The court heard that when the boy’s mother had intervened to protect her son during the attack, Singalargh pulled down his trousers and exposed his buttocks …”  Nice to know there is also a moon in New Zealand.

 CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP)  –  Marine, back from Iraq, shot dead in his home town. “On leave from the violence he had survived in the war in Iraq, a young Marine was so wary of crime on the streets of his own home town that he carried only $8 to avoid becoming a robbery target.  Despite his caution, Lance Cpl. Robert Crutchfield, 21, was shot point-blank in the neck during a robbery at a bus stop … Crutchfield was attacked on January 5 while he and his girlfriend were waiting for a bus. He had heeded the warnings of commanders that a Marine on leave might be seen as a prime robbery target with a pocketful of money, so he only carried $8, his military ID card and a bank card.  They took it, turned his pockets inside out, took what he had and told him since he was a Marine and didn’t have any money he didn’t deserve to live. They put the gun to his neck and shot him,”  …   The two men charged in the attack were identified as Ean Farrow, 19, and Thomas Ray III, 20, both of Cleveland.” No doubt, not unique news to read, although, it didn’t make the evening news.  A young soldier killed in Iraq  …  did.  4 lives wasted.  Where is the outrage?  Where is our focus as a profession, society and species?  Share with me  …  given the challenges YOU face as a Solo or Small Firm guy, making a living, feeding your family, (Maslow’s Hierarchy)  …  why should you care?  Simple.  YOU didn’t choose to be a lawyer to pay off your student loans  … did you?  YOU chose to be a lawyer to make a difference. At least, I did, (after watching “To Kill a Mocking Bird”  —  I wanted to be Atticus Finch).  I would like to believe, YOU did as well. We comprise 66% of our Bar.  We PAY 66% of the dues.  Share with me  …  what kind of mindset within our Bar would endorse helping pro se litigants harm themselves?  And they force/push all these ethical considerations/rules for US to abide by?  Where is the line between an unethical/immoral lawyer harming a client  …  and the ethics/morality of our Bar helping a client harm themselves?  Is there even one?   

All the ads on TV about quitting smoking.  YOU have a nicotine addiction.  YOU need help  … just call/see your doctor and get a pill.  Sends the message that a pill can fix anything  …  doesn’t it?  Make it easy. Solve YOUR nicotine addiction problem with a pill. Lose weight?  Take a pill.  Have an alcohol addiction?  Take a pill.  Reminds me of a phrase from the 60’s:  “Better living through chemistry“.  Pills can’t fix bad choices.  Pills will not get you redemption  …  and  …  on judgment day  …  you don’t get to call character witness. The latest news on the War on Drugs?  South American drug runners are using miniature submarines to haul dope into our America.  They are very difficult to catch since they have a very small radar signature.  No doubt, the idea comes from the children of Nazi Kriegsmarine Uboat commanders who moved to South America after WW II.  Interesting information on a “War on Drugs” Website:  the “War on Drugs” was launched by President Nixon in 1972.  In 2003, we spent over 19 billion dollars on it   …  in 2006, there were  1,889,810 arrests  …  “law enforcement made more arrests for drug law violations in 2006 (13.1 percent of the total number of arrests) than for any other offense   …  Since December 31, 1995, the U.S. prison population has grown an average of 43,266 inmates per year. About 25 per cent are sentenced for drug law violations.”  Perhaps, as a society, we need to take a long hard look at how we use and rely on drugs.  Drugs   …  legal and illegal, comprise a significant portion of our economy.

Sitting here editing these Ramblings  …  my editors on the chair with me.  Thinking about Corinne and I doing a presentation at our “Family Gathering”, (You never see eagles soaring with ducks.”).  I look forward to seeing you all there!!  On the evening news, a piece about the way China is recovering from the quake. The Chinese have managed to feed and house hundreds of thousands of folks who lost everything, within a month!  The folks at FEMA need to go to China and learn how to do it right. and I will be doing it right, tonight, when I curl myself around Susan and drift off to sleep after saying a prayer of thanks for being able to do so. And, of course, a prayer for the safe and soon return of our men and women in uniform, (care to join me?)  Be and sleep well  …  the best there is, is on watch to you can.  If my post offends, I apologize  …  that is not my intent. As always   … 
A Warm Brotherly Hug
Karl (the dumb old country lawyer from Holden, Missouri  … and the Editorial Staff, Willy, Karly and ‘Lil Buddy)