Libertine: On the Prowl

Vidi, vici, veni -- I saw, I conquered, I came. _______________________________________________________________

An Odd Trip

12:14, 2008-Jul-6 .. Posted in news .. 1 comments .. Link

An Oregon man, Kent Couch, realized his dream on Satirday by flying in a balloon-suspended lawnchair from Oregon to Idaho. He flew 235 miles in nine hours in a lawn chair attached to 150 giant, helium-filled, party balloons.

Flying about 100 to 200 feet from the ground, he ended his trip by shooting some of the balloons with a BB gun to lower himself to the ground.

"If I had the time and money and people, I'd do this every weekend," Couch said before getting into the chair. "Things just look different from up there. You've moving so slowly. The best thing is the peace, the serenity."

I had to laugh when I heard about this -- it sounded exactly like something Homer Simpson would do. And, in fact, there was a King of the Hill episode, where Bill Dauterive did this very thing, though, of course, it didn't turn out as well for Bill as it did for Kent Couch, as you would imagine.

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Life On Other Planets?

12:22, 2008-Apr-23 .. Posted in news .. 3 comments .. Link

During a lecture he gave on Monday, scientist Stephen Hawking expressed the opinion that he believes that it is likely that life exists on other planets in our galaxy. He said that given the size of the universe, it is unlikely that Earth is the only planet to develop some sort of life.

"While there may be primitive life in our region of the galaxy, there don't seem to be any advanced intelligent beings," he said, though he did not discount intelligent life existing elsewhere in the universe.

In his opinion, the lack of success by the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project to discover signals from an alien civilization suggests that none exist within several 100 light-years of Earth. He offered two reasons why this could be so: aliens intelligent enough to beam signals into space may also be smart enough to build civilization-destroying weapons like nuclear bombs, he said. More likely, he added, is that primitive life is likely to develop, but intelligent life as we know it is exceedingly rare.

I would add a couple of other possibilities: there could be intelligent alien life that simply isn't at the level of technology to send or receive such signals or to recognize signals as such and it could be that our receiving equipment isn't sophisticated enough to receive signals or we're already getting them but not recognizing them.

Hawking, however, dismisses UFOs and stories of alien vistation and abductions. "Why would they only appear to cranks and weirdos?"

He also stressed the importance of ongoing space explorations, primarily as a way to ensure the long-term survival of the human race. "If the human race is to continue for another million years we will have to boldly go where no one has gone before," Hawking said.

We Are Family

12:24, 2008-Mar-30 .. Posted in news .. 5 comments .. Link

Researchers at the New England Historic Genealogical Society looked into the genealogy of the three main Presidential candidates and found some rather interesting family connections.

Barack Obama is related to six American presidents through his mother's side: George Bush Sr and Jr,, Gerald Ford, Lyndon Johnson, Harry Truman, and James Madison. He is also related to Dick Cheney, Winston Churchill, General Robert E. Lee, and Brad Pitt.

Hillary Clinton is related to Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Celine Dion, Alanis Morrissette, author Jack Kerouac, and the wife of Prince Charles, Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall.

McCain's ancestry was somewhat harder to trace because the records available for his family were not as complete as for the other two. Researchers were able to find that he is a distant cousin of First Lady Laura Bush, however.

Obama and President Bush are 10th cousins, once removed, linked by Samuel Hinkley of Cape Cod, who died in 1662.

Pitt and Obama are ninth cousins, linked by Edwin Hickman, who died in Virginia in 1769. Ben LaBolt, a spokesman for the Obama campaign, declined to comment on the senator's ancestry.

Clinton and Jolie are ninth cousins, twice removed, both related to Jean Cusson who died in St. Sulpice, Quebec, in 1718.

It makes me wonder who I am related to. Casanova, perhaps?

Italian Court Usurps Parents' Right to Name Their Child

12:02, 2007-Dec-19 .. Posted in news .. 7 comments .. Link

When a little boy was born to an Italian couple fifteen months ago, they decided to give him the unusual name of "Friday". They went on to register his name at city hall as Friday and a priest also baptized him under that name.

Five months later, a busybody city hall clerk was sufficiently bothered by this unusual name to inform a tribunal, which then notified the parents that the boy's name was "invalid" because Italian law forbade parents from giving children names that were "ridiculous or shameful".

When the parents declined to change their son's name, the court ruled that the boy would be registered thenceforth as "Gregory", as he was born on the feast day of a saint with that name.

In other words, the government told the parents what their child's name was.

As of yet, this particular type of governmental meddling has not occurred in the US. But I'm sure it's only a matter of time before the Good Taste Nazis hit the department of vital statistics here.

It's not that I think that Friday is a great name. On the contrary, it's annoyingly trendy and gaggingly cute. My taste in names runs to the classic; names that have stood the test of time and which have not been altered with "creative" spellings.

But neither is "Friday" a "shameful" name as the court claimed. It's easy to say and easy to spell, and if the boy doesn't like it, he's always free to change it as an adult. I'd never name a kid Friday, but I think these parents were well within their rights to do so.

And governmental meddling doesn't get much worse than to tell a parent that they cannot name their own child.

I could have understood the Italian court's position if they'd given him a name that was truly degrading, such as "Shitload" or "Cumstain". I'd not have had a problem with the court refusing to register such a "name" then. But even in such an instance, I still would allow the parents to choose a more appropriate name, instead of choosing one for them. And don't even get me started on choosing a name for someone based on religion.

For their part, the parents have vowed to continue calling their son Friday, even though he will be compelled to sign his name as Gregory on all official documents when he gets older.

Thoughts?

Give It Up Already, Pam

07:17, 2007-Dec-17 .. Posted in news .. 16 comments .. Link

After getting married for the third time to Rick Salomon this October, Pamela Anderson is already filing for divorce.

"I paid off a poker debt with sexual favors, and I fell in love," Anderson said during an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show, when asked how she met Salomon. "It's so romantic." Anderson owed a whopping $250, 000 in gambling debts when she struck the deal with Salomon.

But romantic? Don't make me laugh. Fucking to work off a debt might have been practical and cost effective for her, but I'd not call it romantic by any stretch of the imagination. And, though libertine as I am, if I accepted sex in lieu of a debt paid, I'd not call it romantic. There's no shame in calling a spade a spade. This was a business deal, nothing more -- love had nothing to do with it. Sex and love aren't the same thing and though they sometimes happily coincide, this is one time where it definitely didn't and there's no need to justify this exchange by saying it was.

Some people just don't need to be married. I'm not meant to be married in the way marriage is currently understood, and I've accepted that and have lived in a way that better suits me. It would seem as if Pam Anderson is also ill-suited to marriage and would do well to accept it and stop trying to force a square peg into a round hole, so to speak.

Thoughts?

Neighbors

12:25, 2007-Nov-18 .. Posted in news .. 9 comments .. Link

A recent photo of the Earth and moon taken by an unmanned Japanese spacecraft orbiting the moon.

Another poignant reminder of how we're all on this small, fragile lifeboat together hurtling through the cold void of space.

Genarlow Wilson to Join Campaign to Educate Teens About Sex Laws

01:03, 2007-Oct-30 .. Posted in news .. 5 comments .. Link

Though the law that originally sentenced Genarlow Wilson to prison for ten years for a consensual blow job has been ameliorated, most teens remain ignorant of the laws that govern the sexual activity of teenagers. Indeed, many parents are likewise unaware of the laws that cover consensual teen sex.

But the fact remains that even though the law that sent Wilson to prison has been ameliorated, milder laws still remain on the book that classify even consensual sex between teens close in age as crimes that still have the possibility of jail time. Thought it's relatively rare that boyfriend/girlfriend cases are prosecuted, Wilson's case shows that it still can happen.

Laws vary in different states, as do the ages of consent which range from 14 to 18. Some states have moved in recent months to add so-called Romeo and Juliet exceptions to prevent sexually active teenagers from being lumped together with child molesters. "I think there is a view now that 'hey, maybe we overdid it on the sex offender registry,'" said Larry Landis, executive director of the Indiana Public Defender Council.

Other states, however still insist on categorizing boyfriend/girlfriend sex in with pedophiles and rapists, obliging those convicted to likewise register as dangerous sex offenders.

"We do a disgraceful job of educating kids about the very real consequences that they face," said J. Tom Morgan, a former DeKalb County district attorney.

"If society is going to punish them as adults," said Morgan, "then society ought to educate them."

In an interview with the Associated Press, Genarlow Wilson said that he believes that sex education classes are lacking.

"Most of the time they just tell kids, 'Use condoms,'" Wilson said. "That's not the only thing they need to know about sex. They need to know that they can actually go to jail."

Wilson intends appear on behalf of an organization set up by his lawyer to help teens learn their rights.

It would be easy and understandable for Wilson to want to forget about his time in jail and to put it behind him, but I find it commendable that he wants to help others avoid what happened to him.

Thoughts?

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

12:07, 2007-Oct-27 .. Posted in news .. 16 comments .. Link

Genarlow Wilson, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for getting a consensual blowjob from a 15 year old girl when he was 17, and would have been listed on a sex offender registry for life, was released from prison on Friday. He had already served two years of the original 10 year sentence.

The Georgia Supreme Court ordered that he be released, ruling 4-3 that his sentence was cruel and unusual punishment. The court noted that this kind of decision is unusual: "The majority opinion points out that this court rarely overturns a sentence on cruel and unusual grounds. But twice before, it did so following a legislative change."

The judge reduced the sentence to one year and said Wilson should not be put on Georgia's sex offender registry, as the old law required. Genarlow had earlier rejected a plea offer that would have left this requirement in place in exchange for his release. "I'm glad I stayed down for my cause," Wilson said. "I accepted the situation that I got myself into, but I never accepted that label."

After spending some time with his friends and family, Wilson intends to enroll in college to study sociology. "You will not be disappointed," he said after his release. "I plan on succeeding in life."

For once, the justice system gets it right and corrects an earlier injustice.

I wish him every success in life as he gets on with his life as a free man.

Stupid, Arrogant, or Both?

01:57, 2007-Sep-20 .. Posted in news .. 11 comments .. Link

As I heard the news about OJ Simpson's latest arrest for armed robbery and other related charges in Las Vegas several days ago, I had to wonder just what kind of a moron this guy is.

Is he just plain stupid, arrogant, or both?

Simpson escaped a conviction for two murders that he most likely committed or arranged to have committed. Considering the pariah status that he's known since that trial, you'd think he'd keep a low profile, mind his own business, and spend most of his time playing golf.

Nooooo, not OJ. That would have made too much sense for him.

Instead, he hatches a harebrained scheme to steal some sports memorabilia that he insists was rightfully his property. If the idiot had half an ounce of brains and he wanted the damned trinkets that badly, you would think he'd simply have sent a representative to buy the stuff for him anonymously. No one would have been the wiser and he'd have the junk back again.

Did he really think that he'd get away with such a moronic caper? Didn't he realize that the cops and public opinion would be on him like stink on shit as soon as he was caught?

Simpson was released on $125,000 bail yesterday. I'm sure he's thinking he's put one over on the man again and that the upcoming trial will turn out the same as the last one did.

I hope he's wrong and that we'll be able to see that shit-eating grin wiped off his face for good.

Thoughts?

Simpson Book to be Published, After All

12:00, 2007-Aug-23 .. Posted in news .. 0 comments .. Link

It was recently announced that OJ Simpson's tell-all book manuscript, "If I Did It", which was scrapped before publication last year, will now be published, after all.

A federal judge last month gave the rights to the book to murder victim Ron Goldman's family, who are owed $33.5 million in damages by Simpson.

Simpson was acquitted of murder charges in criminal court, but was found liable for the deaths in a civil case brought by the victims' families. Simpson has vowed to never voluntarily pay damages to the families, and, to this date, the Goldman family has never received a penny of the money owed them.

The manuscript will be published exactly as Simpson wrote it, but with added commentary. Portions of the proceeds will be contributed to the Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice. Simpson will not receive any royalties from the book.

The Goldmans will be required to give a court-appointed trustee 10 percent of the first $4 million in gross proceeds and a percentage of all proceeds beyond that. Nicole Brown's family will get most of that money.

Some people I've talked about this to believe that it is wrong for the Goldmans to benefit in any way from this book; that it is crass and tasteless; that it will not bring back their son.

I'm of two minds on this. Yes, nothing will bring back their son, but it would seem as if this is the only justice the Goldmans are ever going to get. Simpson was acquitted of the murders in criminal court -- when I was in law enforcement, I saw people convicted on far less evidence than what was presented in his trial. So far as Simpson not paying the 33.5 million that he owes, he claims to be "bankrupt", despite a new home in Florida, his NFL pension, and that he apparently spends most of his time golfing and doesn't seem to need a job to support himself.

I don't intend to buy the book, but if some good can come from the proceeds that are donated to charity, then some justice, however small, will have been attained.

Thoughts?

Thoughts About the Michael Vick Case

01:24, 2007-Jul-20 .. Posted in news .. 0 comments .. Link

Today, while out driving, I was listening to a sports talk show discussing the Michael Vick case. Vick, a quarterback for the Falcons was recently indicted, along with three others, for actions involving cruelty to animals and other crimes relating to staging dogfights.

The 18 page indictment summarizes the charges thusly: "In or about April of 2007, Peace, Phillips and Vick executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground." One female dog, after losing a fight was executed by being wetted down with water and then electrocuted.

Those who promote dog fights test pups to see if they'll make good fighting dogs. The dogs are put in an enclosed area to see how they react. Then, they incite the dogs, attempting to anger them. If a dog acts aggressively toward another dog, they are then used for fighting in the future. But if a dog is timid, it is useless. Some fighters give away pups unsuitable for fighting. Others simply kill the peaceful dogs.

"If you want to kill a dog, why exert the energy to slam him into the ground or drown him? Why not just shoot him, which is the most common method?" said John Goodwin, dogfighting expert for the Humane Society of the United States. "That is insane. These guys, if they did that, have serious problems."

Amazingly enough, one guy on the radio show was trying to rationalize these heinous actions. He attempted to excuse the killings by speculating that such dogs might have been too badly injured after a fight and that they simply "felt sorry" for the dogs and were simply putting them out of their misery.

Give me a fucking break! If they "felt sorry" for the dogs and cared about them not suffering, then they'd not be engaging in dog fighting in the first place! Secondly, as John Goodwin mentioned above, you don't humanely put a suffering dog down by torturing it to death.

There is nothing that can excuse the behavior of the ones who tortured these helpless animals. If Vick and his cohorts are found guilty, they need to be thrown into prison to rot for a very long time -- it's just too bad that the penalty for these sickos won't be anything close to what it would be if they'd done this to human beings.

The dogfighting charges carry a possible sentence of only one year in prison, a $100,000 fine or both. I would hope that the NFL will also put a lifetime ban on him and that he will never again be allowed to play professional football.

As far as I'm concerned, that's not enough, but it's the best we can expect.

Thoughts?

Fired For Saving a Life

02:33, 2007-Jun-25 .. Posted in news .. 0 comments .. Link

Colin Bruley, a leasing agent at an apartment complex in Jacksonville, FL, was fired nearly two weeks ago after he came to the aid of a resident screaming for help.

Bruley grabbed his shotgun and ran out to help the woman who yelled that she'd just been shot. She feared that her assailant might still be in the area.

"She was in a desperate need for help 'Someone help me, I've been shot,'" he said. "I reacted to a situation and it was a matter of seconds."

Bruley said he found Tonnetta Lee bleeding heavily. He handed the shotgun to a neighbor, tied a tourniquet around her right leg and waited for police and rescue to arrive. He never encountered the assailant and his shotgun was never fired.

The next morning, his employers fired him, citing "gross misconduct" and for possessing the shotgun, which violated their company policy. Never mind that he saved a life.

"Going out there unarmed, I think, would have been dumb," Bruley later noted. "Anybody that had access to a weapon would have done the same thing."

Emil Steiner, of the Washington Post, wrote: "He put the life of his neighbor -- who was also his client -- ahead of his own safety. Which raises the question: Isn't this the kind of person any company would want as an employee?"

Exactly. While I understand that it's normally a good idea to follow company policy, some common sense should apply. Obdurately taking a "rules are rules" approach, leaving no room for discretion, is both unfair and shortsighted.

The fact that this man saved a life, risking his own safety to do so should have outweighed the breaking of company policy in this case. Indeed, if the company had properly rewarded him for his heroism, they could have garnered positive attention for their apartment community. Instead, by taking a blockheaded approach, they've dug their own hole of negative publicity.

We can only hope that some other apartment complex will soon snap up Bruley and give him a job.

Thoughts?