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Greetings,
Quotaholics:
These
days when you watch a crime show on TV, there is always some forensic
evidence that solves the case beyond a shadow of a doubt. It’s
gotten to the point where prosecutors find it difficult sometimes to
get a conviction without forensic evidence. Juries expect such evidence
and without it they think something is wrong with the case.
The other side of the coin is when forensic evidence is presented the
jury thinks it is infallible. Experts have labeled this problem the
“CSI Effect”.
But, according to an article on the NPR
website, “…forensic evidence isn’t nearly as ironclad as it
appears on television. In fact, according to a study released Wednesday
by the National Academy of Sciences, the nation’s crime labs need a
total overhaul.”
“‘The quality of practice in forensic science disciplines
varies greatly,’ says Judge Harry Edwards, a co-chairman of the
NAS committee.”
“Edwards’ committee found that while some forensic evidence, such
as DNA, is top-notch, other evidence, such as fingerprints, is not nearly
so reliable.”
“‘Whether it is hair analysis, fiber comparison, bite marks,
even fingerprints … judges and juries hear this evidence and rely
on it to come up with convictions that later have proven to be wrong,’
says Barry Scheck, one of the co-directors of the Innocence Project,
which has helped get convictions using forensic evidence overturned.”
Now the NAS is recommending an overhaul of forensic science. They want
the U.S. to standardize tests, certify forensics experts, train technicians
and supervise crime labs. They also call for separating the science
in a crime scene investigation from the police work and the creation
of a new federal agency that would oversee all of this.
“Eugene O’Donnell, a former prosecutor who is now a professor
at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, says law enforcement across
the country is so diverse that it would be hard for Congress to enforce
forensic standards at a grass-roots level. What works for a two-man
police force might not work in a big city, for example.”
“But O’Donnell does credit the report with getting a conversation
going about forensic evidence and how to make it more scientific.”
I can’t see how the government could expect every police force
to have trained forensic experts on their staff. But it does little
good to arrest a suspect if the jury is going to let them go without
forensic evidence. There has to be a middle ground somewhere.
It seems like the courts need to inform jurors that forensic evidence
is not needed for conviction and at the same time let them know that
such evidence is not infallible.
If you were a juror would you have a problem convicting someone without
such evidence? Have you ever been on jury where evidence, such as fingerprints,
was presented? Did you question the evidence? Did you think, like I
did, that fingerprints were pretty solid evidence? Do you think the
government has any business telling the local police how to run their
investigations?
Searching for evidence,
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“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what
it takes to sit down and listen.” - Winston Churchill
“Content makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.” -
Benjamin Frankli
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Golf Warning
[Thanks to Dora
in Denver]
The Department of
Wildlife &Fisheries advises American golfers to take extra precautions
against bears, while playing on golf courses in Wyoming and Montana
National Forests.
They advise golfers
to wear noise-producing devices, such as little bells on their clothing
to alert, but not startle, the bears unexpectedly. They also advise
you to carry pepper spray in case of an encounter with a bear.
It is also a good
idea to watch for signs of bear activity. For example, golfers should
be able to recognize the difference between Black Bear and Grizzly
Bear droppings on the golf course.
Black Bear droppings
are smaller, and contain berries and possibly squirrel fur.
Grizzly Bear droppings
have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.
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“Men fail much oftener from want of perseverance than from want of talent”
- William Cobbett, pseudonym Peter Porcupine, English popular journalist
(1763-1835)
“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything
that counts cannot necessarily be counted.” - Albert Einstein
“We of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations who participated in the
decisions on Vietnam acted according to what we thought were the principles
and traditions of this nation. We made our decisions in light of those
values. Yet we were wrong, terribly wrong. We owe it to future generations
to explain why.” - Former Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, in
the preface of his book "In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of
Vietnam"
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E-Mail
the Imp
Some people don’t test well. That’s not referring to blood tests or
urine tests, or any other sort of lab or medical testing but rather
to academic testing. I’ve known technicians that could troubleshoot
the most complex electronics equipment but not be able to put their
name on a test paper in the correct place.
Sometimes it’s a temporary condition. A very important test that you
cram for to the exclusion of eating and sleeping can result in your
being so nervous you go brain dead when you get your test paper. I’ve
always heard that the clinical term for this was “having a brain fart”.
There’s an Associated Press article about a Korean woman who is having
a hell of a problem passing her driving test. It’s a short article,
so I’ll just embed it here:
Associated Press: Thursday, February 05, 2009
SEOUL, South Korea — A woman in South Korea who has taken the written
exam required for a driver’s license nearly every day since 2005 has
failed again — but is hoping attempt No. 772 will be the charm.
The aspiring driver took her first test in April 2005, according to
Choi Young-chul, an official at the North Jeolla Province driver’s license
agency in Jeonju, 150 miles south of Seoul.
She has taken the test a record 771 times, most recently on Monday,
but has yet to pass. She said she plans to take the test again but did
not say when, he said Thursday.
The 68-year-old has spent $3,000 on fees for the test, he said. Applicants
must score at least 60 on the written exam before they can get behind
the wheel for a driving test. Choi says she’s scored as high as 50.
Some people know their subject very well but have trouble comprehending
written questions. I speed read a bit, though not as fast as some experts,
and once in a while I stumble over a paragraph or two when written in
an obscure style or manner. There is no way I could speed read a Shakespeare
play and understand it. Hell, I can’t understand half of what he wrote
even if I read it like a Dick and Jane primer, one… word… at… a… time…,
slowly.
I have the same problem with these surveys the Republicans or the Democrats
keep sending me. Sometimes the questions aren’t asking for your opinion
or answer, but the closest answer to a foregone conclusion the survey
results will be used to prove. I hate questions like: “Should illegal
immigrants receive all welfare benefits?” Even if you answer “no”, the
answer implies that they should receive some benefits.
There is no Yes or No answer to a question like that, at least without
knowing a whole lot of who, what, where, when, how, why, and etcetera’s
I can’t even imagine. But let me get back to the Korean gal who appears
to be making a life’s work out of testing for her driver’s license.
Off hand one is tempted to utter, “What a dumb shit!” With the sparse
information it wouldn’t be fair to her. Quite possibly she just can’t
read well, which makes one wonder why they don’t try giving her the
test orally. What I’d really be worried about with her is whether or
not she can pass the driving test itself.
If she can’t keep the Go, Stop, Slow, and Turn functions clear in her
mind and when to apply which, passing an academic test makes no difference.
I wouldn’t want her driving around me.
The Bad Sied 
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Bob made an interesting observation, and earned himself 15 Minutes to
share it with the rest of us. Thanks Bob.
The
social sciences have not been my field, but I did make one discovery of
a simple, amusing experiment in subliminal messages. It started when I
used to spend a few hours each year, handing out leaflets for an annual
event. I’d go downtown around noon to get the most foot traffic, and stand
at a corner. So, frequently, I’d get a burst of pedestrians, released
by the traffic light. I noticed that if the first person took a leaflet,
I’d be very busy dealing them out, and sometimes people would even wait
a few seconds to get one. However, if the first person refused a leaflet,
so would almost everyone else in the bunch.
I discovered that if I returned the refused leaflet to the bottom of my
stack, and dealt out a "fresh" one to the next person, they
would frequently take it, and then so would everyone following. I doubt
that anyone consciously saw the quick shuffle, and if they did, would
wonder why I hadn’t even looked down to see if there was a stain on the
refused paper. However, the effect is unmistakable. Anyone can grab a
handful of tourist brochures off a rack and try it out to amuse themselves.
Just always be dealing off a fresh paper as you approach people, never
offering the same one twice in a row. For me, it increased production
by 50%. - Bob of the North
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On this day in
history, February
20, 1998: Tara Lipinski wins a gold medal for figure skating. Tara was
born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 10, 1982. She took up roller
skating at the age of three and won competitions. She went on to figure
skating at age six because she wanted to go faster. She first competed
in 1990 at the regional championships and came in second. Returning
to wheels in 1991 she took first for freestyle as a nine-year-old at
the US Roller Skating Championships. Back on ice, Tara came to national
attention at the 1994 US Olympic Festival competition, winning at the
junior level.
The 1998 Winter Olympics were held in Nagano, Japan. Tara had lost to
Michelle Kwan prior to their meeting again in Japan. Michelle’s performance
was earlier in the competition and was brilliantly executed. Tara skated
toward the end of the lineup. She also performed brilliantly. Her routine
was more technically difficult with a triple jump at the very end of
her program. She took the gold – the youngest Winter Olympics gold medallist
at the age of 15 years, 8 months, and 10 days. Michelle took silver
and Chen Lu of China took the bronze.
The youngest Olympic gold medallist was Marjorie Gestring of the US
who won the three meter springboard competition when she was 13 years,
268 days old. Michael Phelps has won the most gold medals with 14 at
the 2004 and 2008 Games. He also won two bronze medals for a total of
16. Larissa Latynina is one of four who have won nine gold medals. She
also won five silver and four bronze medals for a total of 18 (most
overall) in Games held between 1956 and 1964. The most gold medals at
a single Olympic Games goes to Michael Phelps with eight in 2008. Between
1936 and 1960 Aladâr Gerevich of Hungary took six gold medals
in Team Sabre, the most for any single event.
Tara (Lipinski) got out there like a bat out of hell and skated her
guts out. Michelle skated very well, but she skated conservatively.
She skated great, just not fantastic. That was the difference. - Frank
Carroll
I had that feeling of just pure joy and I went out there and put it
in my program. - Tara Lipinski
I was so worried about winning, it was as if I was caught up in my own
web. - Michelle Kwan
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I ran across this last night and thought it would fit well in this section.
http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=914609
Some kids grow up to be good. Or perhaps I should say not-so-good. Your
call.
Tim (Buffalo, NY)
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Email Kirsten
“For
there was never yet a philosopher - that could endure the toothache
patiently”
~ William Shakespeare ~
It all started when I ate an Aero five years ago. I remember it as
if it was yesterday. It was my first week back at work after maternity
leave, and I had just arrived home after a pretty tough day. I was
sitting on the couch watching Friends, drinking tea and eating
my Aero. My baby, then nine months old, was asleep on his blanket
on the floor. It was all very lovely and peaceful. All of a sudden,
two things shattered more or less simultaneously: my sense of serenity
and my tooth.
In case you need some clarification, the chocolate I was eating was
an Aero. It wasn’t one of these things with hard caramel or
toffee or any other substance that might be expected to break a tooth.
It was an Aero - those delicious items that are half-chocolate/half-air-bubble.
The softest, meltiest-in-your-mouth chocolate in the whole world.
Somehow this thing broke my tooth. It was almost surreal.
I had to swallow my fear of dentists and make an appointment. The
upshot of the appointment was that the broken tooth was one that had
undergone a root canal several years previously. I had to get it filled,
and then crowned. Several appointments later, I walked out of the
dentist’s office with my nice new crown and a seven-hundred-dollar-shaped
hole in my pocket.
Let me tell you about my dentist. He’s a really nice man. He is gentle
and understanding of people like myself, who have chronic fears of
dentists. He speaks in a soothing tone and explains in non-threatening
terms what he is doing. His receptionist and his hygienist are both
really nice as well. All in all, it’s a dentist’s office that is calming.
Unfortunately, the level of reassurance provided by the dentist is
not matched by his dental skills. To put it bluntly, he’s a bad dentist.
I feel really bad saying that, because he really is a phenomenally
nice man.
The trouble is that I’ve been plagued by dental issues ever since.
They wax and wane in nature and severity, and I have not been to a
dentist since this episode to get sorted out. For a start, this incident
has done nothing to ease my fear of dentists. It seems that they are
either rough, or they don’t know what they’re doing. And for another
thing, I’m on a contract job with no benefits, and dentists are sinfully
expensive.
I’m going to have to find a way to do it, though. I’ll have to somehow
figure out if there’s a good and nice dentist out there somewhere,
and I’ll have to work a way to afford it. Because today I’ve been
experiencing the kind of toothache that makes you want to jump onto
the roof at midnight and howl at the moon. I apologize in advance
if my agonized screams disturb anyone in a 100-mile radius.
Kaleidoscopically yours,
Kirsten
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I did it. I finally did it. I finally was able to put a message on my
web site’s login page. For some reason, when our vendor designed the software,
they put in the ability to put messages on every page except the login
page. But the login page is the one that needed the feature the most.
Remember at the beginning of the month when I told you I tried to
delete one student account, but due to a system error, all the student
accounts were deleted? I had to recreate all the accounts, but their
passwords were reset back to the default password. I sent an e-mail
to the student mailing list, but still I got over five e-mails a day
from students that hadn’t read or hadn’t gotten that e-mail. There
are links on the College’s site that lead directly to the login page
of my site. I put a notice on the main page of my site, but I couldn’t
put a notice on the login page where it would do the most good.
There have been requests for an update to their software to allow
this, but that’s considered an “enhancement” by our vendor. They are
too busy fixing all the things that are broken to even occasionally
consider an “enhancement”. But that have a users group, and it’s usually
easier to find an answer there. The answer in this case had several
threads dedicated to it, each with several posts. I’ve read and reread
them all over the past year, but nothing worked.
Today, it worked for me. I got lucky on a few tweeks, performed several
tests, and it works. I haven’t gotten a password e-mail since.
The notice I put up is huge, so if they miss the notice and e-mail
me, I think I’m just going to tell them they are too stupid to use
my website.
Tim A’Musing
Having a Ball with Yarns
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Uses
For Old Newspaper
Make
a child’s play tent. - NorCalKat
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Got a few with that line, some catch-ups too.
Julian helped out with opening lines, someone else needs to send some
in too. Here’s his last one.
Next opening line…
A lady from Botany Bay…
Hints:
Here’s a great new rhyming/composition tool. http://www.writerhymes.com/
There’s also a great rhyming dictionary at http://www.rhymezone.com/
Limerick rules. http://freespace.virgin.net/merrick.sheldon/limerickrules.htm
Submit
Opening Line
Submit
Limerick
He
dated a woman called Jane
Who was frankly a bit of a pain
She dragged him out shopping
All day without stopping
Although it was pouring with rain - Julian, England |
He
dated a woman called Jane
Who had to walk with a cane.
She had broken her leg
Tripping over his beer keg
Now they both wobble down the lane. - Bonnie |
He dated
a woman called Jane—
who turned out to be a real pain—
she’d grunt and she’d glower
left hair in the shower
which then served to clog up the drain. - Cassandra in New York |
He’d run
around with a bitch called Jane
And he’s kept her on a short chain
Though this may sound kinky
It ain’t what you think-y
You see, Jane was really his Great Dane. - Anne Onimous |
He dated
a woman called Jane
They once took a vacation by train
They’d swayed to the click-clack
Of the railroad track
And laid in their berth sipping Champaign. - Anne Onimous |
He dated
a woman called Jane
Who flew to Paris in an airplane
To Notre Dame she drove
And in a river dove
He now thinks that she’s in Seine. - Anne Onimous |
He dated
a woman called Jane
Who proved to be a financial drain
He dated her for her bod
His money she did laud
And neither one seemed to have a brain. - Anne Onimous |
He dated
a woman called Jane
Who once backed up into a window pane
Thus breaking the glass
And cutting her ass
He guessed the window was a real pain. - E. Cole Aye |
He dated
a woman called Jane
He thought she was a real pain
But now she’s his ex
For he loved having sex
And she would always abstain. - E. Cole Aye |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Wanted to drink the best Bordeaux.
But he didn’t know wine
Instead drank turpentine.
I find this story hard to swallow. - Anne Onimous |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Looked for a cheap fair to Tokyo.
But to get a cheap rate
He’s to fly in a crate
With stops in ‘Frisco, Cairo and Hilo. - Anne Onimous |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Decide to join the weather bureau.
He couldn’t tell snow from rain
Or knew a weather vane
So now he forecasts sun in Barstow. - Anne Onimous |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Decided to take up the cello
When he asked why
He answered with a sigh,
I don’t want to fiddle like Nero. - Anne Onimous |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Who already new how to Tango
Went to Argentina
To dance with Christina
And ride the pampas with a gaucho. - Anne Onimous |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Surfed the net for a garden hoe
‘Stead of farm implements
He sadly laments
He got a thousand hits for porno. - Anne Onimous |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Found a gal on the net, you know.
Though she’s not a looker
He gladly took her
For it turns out she’s a nympho. - E. Cole Aye |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Tried to buy a home in Juneau.
Sad to say that chap
Could not read a map
So he now owns a home in Fresno. - E. Cole Aye |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Searched the net for the closest snow
But instead of skiing
From the cops he’s fleeing
For he found the stuff they call blow. - E. Cole Aye |
An Internet
surfer named Joe
Went surfing for a wild ‘ho
Imagine his surprise
(And his early demise)
When she turned out to be his wife, Flo. - E. Cole Aye |
An
Internet surfer named Joe
Saw a pic of a hot chick named Glo.
But when he meet her
’stead of looking super
She looked more like a dog named Toto. - E. Cole Aye |
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Re:
Isolation and Loneliness
Yes, the internet has changed my life in a major way. I was an unhappy
housewife when I first got online and found MIRC chatrooms. I spoke
to people in other countries with a wide variety of ideas and attitudes,
and found that not one of them thought I was an idiot as I had been
told for years.
This led to my starting college at 40 and getting my Associates Degree,
caused me to lose most of my face-to-face friends and replace them with
internet friends- some of them in person too, not all computer only,
and have the courage to divorce and go on alone. I am much happier now
and look back at the friends I used to have and realize they were friends
more because of availability than shared interests. I do not feel isolated,
I still see live people at work and out shopping, I just prefer the
internet way of life.
I can chat when I want with who I want and when I’m done I click off
and have no mess to clean up or guests to make leave. Stress? Where?
I also found my soul mate in another state where I would never have
found him but for the internet- all things comsidered I think the internet
is a great thing if used wisely, and though we are not connected neighbor-to-neighbor
as it was in my youth, we are connected globally in a way we never were.
I like it better myself- what does everyone else think? - Catnip- From
Chat To Eternity =^ -Y-^ =
Re: Kirsten’s Son’s Hat
Kirsten, you said: She
hugged her family, and instead of writing a normal article for her e-zine,
she wrote a third-person account of her little boy and his hat.
You are such a good Mom. Your boys are blessed to have you. - OhioKat
Re: Kindle 2
Thanks for clearing that up for me, and I like the other comment about
not wanting to have to always need some one to read certain things too.
I guess we just have to wait and see what happens with this. Until then
I don’t think I want one. The one thing to remember? Time usually takes
care of stuff like this. - Tazz
Re: Formatting
The last few emails I have
been getting have had the messed up formatting. I’m not sure if it’s
cause I read on the iPhone or not. I’ll open the email and read fine
for 30 seconds but then it formats weird so I can’t read the right side,
only the left.
Has anyone else said anything similar? - Mike Sent from my iPhone…yeah
I probably paid too much for it
[I won’t be formatting for
phones. It’s commonly known that phone browsers leave a LOT to be desired.
We are using applicable HTML that meets current Internet standards.
There is no code available that would cause any browser to "reset"
or otherwise have difficulty after 30 seconds. There has to be an issue
with the IPhone browser. - RGQ Staff]
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Disclaimer- All quotes printed in this publication are believed to be accurately
attributed, but no guarantees are made that some incorrectly attributed,
or even outright false quotes won’t get in here from time to time.
I assure readers that I will do my best to weed out incorrect quotes, and
will print a retraction as soon as I become aware of any errors. |
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