Happy to be Sober? Or eager for the next drink? Weekenders 08 - 11 April 2022
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,474
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The proverbial highlight of my Day yesterday was to mosey on down to Town for the mandated Civic Duty of Jury Pool selection. I'm pleased to say I did *not* make the final cut, and made it Home with a Take & Bake Pizza in time for Dinner.
From the Public Defender's questions to 24 of us left after the first cut, it was apparent the Case was about Child Abuse. Asking each of us to consider the matter of 'what's Corporal Punishment vs. Abuse' caused all of us to reflect, and put our Values out there. I had plenty of time to compose my answer: "I'll cite [Supreme Court] Justice Stewart from Decades ago: I know Pornography when I see it'. This is also true of Child Abuse". The Defense Attorney said 'Thank you, Mr. *******, that is a very concise answer'. I presume the Legal Strategy was going to be to attempt to blur the line on this topic to make the Defendant's behavior somehow acceptable. After we heard from 4 Witnesses, and the arresting Sheriff's Deputy. Which, as a Pal from SR here noted last Night, could be troubling for both the Witnesses to relive, and for the Jurors to hear. I had no problem comforming to the Legal Rules to base POVs on Evidence, but I'm not in this Case now.
My knock-out Specs were likely: 1.) Not having Kids. The questioning was along the lines of 'have you ever spanked a Child' [or worse]? The Legal play would perhaps be for blurring the lines with Parents on what's acceptable and what isn't. 2.) Attorneys don't like 'Leaders' that could sway the opinions of the less-certain, and I unintentionally come across as one. With advanced age comes reduced Hand-wringing, and dithering.
I delve into this because Sobriety was, yet again, a huge asset. I could soberly listen and reflect and observe. When not internally ramping up to get pissed off about the poor enforcement of a Mask Mandate while in the Courtroom. It was ridiculously-slack, as it is here throughout Redneck Nation. Another Sober benefit was to enjoy absolute Serenity re: my chosen perspective in all this. Just be myself. Act in accordance with my now-lucid Values. Have zero expectations of being a Juror. That's all out of my Hands. I would have been mighty surprised if Alcohol, etc., was a not a factor in the Defendent's behavior. Just a guess that reflects Probability.
Just 'another' Sober Day vs. being a half-asleep, Head-pounding mess. Sobriety: highly recommended!
Steve Marriott of Humble Pie was one of us, and only made it to age 44. See a quick b/w Pic of Alumni Peter Frampton...
'30 Days In The Hole' ~ Humble Pie
The proverbial highlight of my Day yesterday was to mosey on down to Town for the mandated Civic Duty of Jury Pool selection. I'm pleased to say I did *not* make the final cut, and made it Home with a Take & Bake Pizza in time for Dinner.
From the Public Defender's questions to 24 of us left after the first cut, it was apparent the Case was about Child Abuse. Asking each of us to consider the matter of 'what's Corporal Punishment vs. Abuse' caused all of us to reflect, and put our Values out there. I had plenty of time to compose my answer: "I'll cite [Supreme Court] Justice Stewart from Decades ago: I know Pornography when I see it'. This is also true of Child Abuse". The Defense Attorney said 'Thank you, Mr. *******, that is a very concise answer'. I presume the Legal Strategy was going to be to attempt to blur the line on this topic to make the Defendant's behavior somehow acceptable. After we heard from 4 Witnesses, and the arresting Sheriff's Deputy. Which, as a Pal from SR here noted last Night, could be troubling for both the Witnesses to relive, and for the Jurors to hear. I had no problem comforming to the Legal Rules to base POVs on Evidence, but I'm not in this Case now.
My knock-out Specs were likely: 1.) Not having Kids. The questioning was along the lines of 'have you ever spanked a Child' [or worse]? The Legal play would perhaps be for blurring the lines with Parents on what's acceptable and what isn't. 2.) Attorneys don't like 'Leaders' that could sway the opinions of the less-certain, and I unintentionally come across as one. With advanced age comes reduced Hand-wringing, and dithering.
I delve into this because Sobriety was, yet again, a huge asset. I could soberly listen and reflect and observe. When not internally ramping up to get pissed off about the poor enforcement of a Mask Mandate while in the Courtroom. It was ridiculously-slack, as it is here throughout Redneck Nation. Another Sober benefit was to enjoy absolute Serenity re: my chosen perspective in all this. Just be myself. Act in accordance with my now-lucid Values. Have zero expectations of being a Juror. That's all out of my Hands. I would have been mighty surprised if Alcohol, etc., was a not a factor in the Defendent's behavior. Just a guess that reflects Probability.
Just 'another' Sober Day vs. being a half-asleep, Head-pounding mess. Sobriety: highly recommended!
Steve Marriott of Humble Pie was one of us, and only made it to age 44. See a quick b/w Pic of Alumni Peter Frampton...
'30 Days In The Hole' ~ Humble Pie
Magsie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,680
Congratulations on Day 7 Citrus! 
..good to see you.
MesaMan, good post. I understand what you’re saying….I found I’m a much calmer person since I’m sober. I think more clearly and it gets better the longer I’m sober.
calmself, the new threads come round quickly, as do our sober days and weeks.
..good to see you. MesaMan, good post. I understand what you’re saying….I found I’m a much calmer person since I’m sober. I think more clearly and it gets better the longer I’m sober.
calmself, the new threads come round quickly, as do our sober days and weeks.
saoutchik
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 16,202
Well done MantaLady, you have earned a rest.
Good luck Calmself.
Well handled MesaMan, good answer to that question. If I had been asked that without time to think I would likely have offered up so many caveats it would render my answer meaningless.
Robbie the house is in Walthamstow in northeast London - not an area you associate with picture postcard old houses. When that one was built, Walthamstow would not have been a part of London then. Dick Whittington would have been Mayor of London at the time.
Welcome Citrus! Good to see you. Just a heads up - a new thread for the Easter Weekend will begin in just over half a day's time.
Good luck Calmself.
Well handled MesaMan, good answer to that question. If I had been asked that without time to think I would likely have offered up so many caveats it would render my answer meaningless.
Robbie the house is in Walthamstow in northeast London - not an area you associate with picture postcard old houses. When that one was built, Walthamstow would not have been a part of London then. Dick Whittington would have been Mayor of London at the time.
Welcome Citrus! Good to see you. Just a heads up - a new thread for the Easter Weekend will begin in just over half a day's time.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 3,515
MesaMan, an interesting post about your jury selection experience. It's completely different to how a jury for any one particular trial is selected from the jury pool here in the UK. Basically potential jurors sit in a room and wait to be chosen at random. If you're picked, you're on the jury with very little way of anyone being able to remove the juror. One interesting fact is that if for any reason there aren't enough jurors available to sit in on a case from the outset (an unlikely scenario but it has happened) then the clerk of the court can quite literally walk outside, on to the street, and pick someone passing by the court at random. The person is then legally required (unless barred from doing so) to serve on the jury for the duration of the case being tried. The obvious thing there is never walk past a court building in the UK, especially at 9.30am when the problem of not enough jurors will be obvious!
sao, I don't think I ever got to Walthamstow. I doubt many buildings in the area (famously the E17 - East 17 - postcode if I recall) look like that old house!
Mesa - Steve Marriott was a great frontman and singer. Sadly his drinking was his downfall in the end when he got drunk, went to bed, lit a cigarette and fell asleep, causing a fire which he was unable to escape from. This is my favourite Steve Marriott song, back when he was lead singer of the Small Faces.
Small Faces - Tin Soldiers (featuring PP Arnold)
sao, I don't think I ever got to Walthamstow. I doubt many buildings in the area (famously the E17 - East 17 - postcode if I recall) look like that old house!
Mesa - Steve Marriott was a great frontman and singer. Sadly his drinking was his downfall in the end when he got drunk, went to bed, lit a cigarette and fell asleep, causing a fire which he was unable to escape from. This is my favourite Steve Marriott song, back when he was lead singer of the Small Faces.
Small Faces - Tin Soldiers (featuring PP Arnold)
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,474
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Thanks for that Song, Robbie, and for the UK Jury insights. Here, the Process is to 'game' the System, and get pliable, sympathetic Jurors seated. Each of the 2 Lawyer groups can strike a certain number of Jurors without cause. In the serious matter at hand yesterday, the Case was in a higher level District Court. 12 Jurors [vs. 6], and 2 Alternates, were to be empaneled out of a starting Pool of 75 Folks. Some excused Folks had Caregiver duties. One fellow noted Religious reasons to not judge anyone else. On principle. He was interesting. At least in his 60s with 2 Kids aged 4 and 6! Another old Guy kept falling asleep, so he was let go. One Gal didn't have anyone to let her Dog out over the 3 Day Trial. Being a small Town, Folks knew Case Witnesses, or the Police in the Case. Personal situations were all over the Map.
On to the House that Sao posted above. I went to the former E. Germany [the GDR] on Business not long after The Wall came down. I stayed up this lovely little Canyon outside Jena where our new Sales Rep was. I'd hike around for exercise, and just look at stuff. Turns out those old Post + Beams Houses sturdily stood on the their own via stout Framing. Due to the dilapidated state of some, you could see in re: how the House Walls were made. The innards were packed Straw - good Insulation, actually - with a sort of handmade Mud/Stucco and Whitewash over that. Creative stuff, I thought!
Thanks for that Song, Robbie, and for the UK Jury insights. Here, the Process is to 'game' the System, and get pliable, sympathetic Jurors seated. Each of the 2 Lawyer groups can strike a certain number of Jurors without cause. In the serious matter at hand yesterday, the Case was in a higher level District Court. 12 Jurors [vs. 6], and 2 Alternates, were to be empaneled out of a starting Pool of 75 Folks. Some excused Folks had Caregiver duties. One fellow noted Religious reasons to not judge anyone else. On principle. He was interesting. At least in his 60s with 2 Kids aged 4 and 6! Another old Guy kept falling asleep, so he was let go. One Gal didn't have anyone to let her Dog out over the 3 Day Trial. Being a small Town, Folks knew Case Witnesses, or the Police in the Case. Personal situations were all over the Map.
On to the House that Sao posted above. I went to the former E. Germany [the GDR] on Business not long after The Wall came down. I stayed up this lovely little Canyon outside Jena where our new Sales Rep was. I'd hike around for exercise, and just look at stuff. Turns out those old Post + Beams Houses sturdily stood on the their own via stout Framing. Due to the dilapidated state of some, you could see in re: how the House Walls were made. The innards were packed Straw - good Insulation, actually - with a sort of handmade Mud/Stucco and Whitewash over that. Creative stuff, I thought!
Magsie
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,680
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