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April 10, 2011
"Right-winger + hard time = compassion?"
The title of this post is the headline of this notable piece by Justin Elliot now up at Salon.com, which also has the cool graphic reprinted here and carries this subheading: "Some of the most eloquent advocates for prison reform are conservatives who find themselves behind bars." Here is how the piece gets started:
Last week, disgraced former congressman Duke Cunningham wrote a letter to several media outlets from the federal penitentiary where he has resided since 2006. In it, Cunningham, a conservative Republican who pleaded guilty in a public corruption case in 2005, waxed eloquent about an unlikely topic: prison reform.
"The United States has more more men & women in prison than any other nation including Russia and China," he wrote. "The largest growing number of prisoners, women -- 1-34 Americans are either on probation or in prison. The 95% conviction rate reached by threats of long sentences, intimidation, lies and prosecutorial abuse has got to be reckoned with now, not later." Cunningham also promised he would dedicate his life to prison reform.
We've seen transformations like this before. Cunningham is the latest in a string of conservative political figures to see the light on prison reform following a stint behind bars.
Right-wing media mogul Conrad Black, for example, did two years' hard time after being convicted in a 2007 fraud case. Following his release in 2010, Black has written passionately about prison reform.
While incarcerated, he learned "of the realities of street level American race relations; of the pathology of incorrigible criminals; and of the wasted opportunities for the reintegration of many of these people into society. I saw at close range the failure of the U.S. War on Drugs, with absurd sentences, (including 20 years for marijuana offences, although 42% of Americans have used marijuana and it is the greatest cash crop in California.)."
And, of course, Nixon aide Charles Colson devoted his life to criminal justice reform -- and spreading Christianity among prisoners -- after serving seven months in 1974 for obstruction of justice in a Watergate-related case. Colson's Justice Fellowship organization lobbies for better conditions in prisons and reform of sentencing and the criminal code. The head of Justice Fellowship is Pat Nolan, a former conservative law-and-order Republican in the California assembly who devoted himself to prison reform after serving 29 months for corruption in the 1990s.
The piece concludes with a Q&A intereview in which I speculate on some of the reasons why some conservatives start talking about sentencing and prison reform after they have seen the operation of the criminal justice system first hand.
April 10, 2011 at 01:20 PM | Permalink
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Good piece. I would add to the list of major issues in prison reform the heightened problem of prisoner reentry following this lengthy period with the highest incarceration rate in U.S. history. The "rehabilitation" touted by various governmental correctional agencies has in most cases become a costly lie, and communities are left holding the bag: large numbers of former prisoners returning to communities in worse shape than when they went in, with zero prospects in today's economy. Local communities are left to deal with the consequences and are often unable to do so. Meanwhile, recidivism grows.
Posted by: anon | Apr 10, 2011 1:47:00 PM
The left has no credibility on these and related issues. It isup to right wing Republicans like federalist and Bill to carry the water here. I don't see it happening it my lifetime, but I've been wrong before.
Posted by: anon11 | Apr 10, 2011 2:51:14 PM
A sleazy crook like Duke Cunningham, after tearfully pleading guilty and apologizing to everyone in sight, now finds that the problem is The System, not Duke Cunningham.
My, my.
Here's a fact-check: In November 2005, Cunningham pled guilty to tax evasion, conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud and wire fraud in federal court in San Diego. Among the many bribes Cunningham admitted receiving were the house sale at an inflated price, the free use of the yacht, a used Rolls-Royce, antique furniture, Persian rugs, jewelry, and a $2,000 contribution for his daughter's college graduation party. Cunningham's attorney, Mark Holscher, later said that the government's evidence was so overwhelming that he had no choice but to recommend a guilty plea.
As part of the plea agreement, Cunningham agreed to help the government in its prosecution of others involved in the defense contractor bribery scandal. However, news reports surfaced stating that Cunningham was not cooperating with investigators despite the agreement. A week later, Cunningham, through his lawyer, announced that he was ready to cooperate.
In marked contrast to his defiant stand earlier in the year, Cunningham appeared very contrite, sullen and overcome by emotion when he read his prepared statement announcing that he was stepping down from Congress after his conviction:
" When I announced several months ago that I would not seek re-election, I publicly declared my innocence because I was not strong enough to face the truth. So, I misled my family, staff, friends, colleagues, the public — even myself. For all of this, I am deeply sorry. The truth is — I broke the law, concealed my conduct, and disgraced my high office. I know that I will forfeit my freedom, my reputation, my worldly possessions, and most importantly, the trust of my friends and family. ... In my life, I have known great joy and great sorrow. And now I know great shame."
I won't even go into the even sleazier Conrad Black, much less Nixon-hugger Charlie Colson, who must now be 200 years old.
Are these three characters the best Salon can do? Where's Blago now that we need him?
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 10, 2011 4:13:37 PM
Most right wing defendants are wealthy, and the target of lawyer gotchas for failing to follow a paper work procedure, incomprehensible to even judges. They are the victims of the lawyer business plan to plunder and defund all productive entities. They have not understood the plan behind their false prosecutions. They are often the targets of political witch hunts. I strongly urge them to reciprocate once in office. For example, it is humanly impossible to not use a federal stamp machine or telephone to make a personal call. That is why I strongly urge all innocent defendants to demand all out e-discovery of the prosecution and of the judge. Refer all questionable material to the FBI for follow up investigation. White collar defense defense lawyers, from Harvard Law School find that offensive. They are just protecting their jobs. These would disappear if the prosecution were deterred.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Apr 10, 2011 6:50:43 PM
From the article: "I think it's a combination of the discovery that prison is harsher and starker than they have anticipated, and their personal experiences going through the system -- getting sentenced to prison and experiencing the humanity that's there. It makes them appreciate that the good vs. evil dichotomy doesn't capture the nuanced reality of prison."
To me, the real question is why people like Cunningham have to go to prison to learn this lesson, while others don't. My guess is that it's expedient for politicians not to inform themselves, not to think about it, and not to learn about it, because it makes it harder to sustain a "tough on crime" rhetoric otherwise. As long as they blind themselves to the realities, it's easier to keep up the illusion that criminal justice in America is solely about good and evil.
And I dispute that this is somehow a phenomenon of just "conservatives"; I think it has more to do with the fact that they're politicians and powerful people.
Posted by: C.E. | Apr 10, 2011 10:39:17 PM
The notion that the present criminal justice system -- or any alternative to it -- is or will be infallible is obviously incorrect, which is why no one advances it.
Equally incorrect, indeed absurd, is the notion that our prisons are chock full of factually innocent people or people who haven't done something significant to earn their way in.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 10, 2011 11:49:26 PM
Thank you for sharing,it is very helpful and I really like it!
Posted by: Big pony | Apr 11, 2011 6:08:50 AM
Madoff: US Government a Ponzi Scheme.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Apr 11, 2011 6:51:19 AM
To be fair, there ARE some conservatives advocating criminal justice reform (see rightoncrime.com), who've never done any time themselves, e.g., Bob Barr, Ed Meese, William Bennett, Asa Hutchinson.
But what's notable is that these conservatives never did anything about it, when they had the power to do so. Only after they left power did they acknowledge that the system was broken.
So the criminal justice system is a bit like the national debt: it no longer functions well, no one in power, of either party, ever offers an intelligent solution for fixing it. It's not because they can't think of any, but because no real solution has broad public support. Only those who will never face voters again can afford to be honest about the problem.
Posted by: Marc Shepherd | Apr 11, 2011 8:37:08 AM
Marc Shepherd --
With all respect, the problem is that your analysis assumes its conclusion, to wit, that prison "reform" -- defined as fewer (perhaps massively fewer) people in prison -- is a good thing.
Viewed in isolation, of course it's a good thing, but it can't be viewed in isolation. The increase in "tough on crime" approaches, and thus the increase in the prison population, was IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING -- the surging crime rate of the late sixties and seventies.
Once stiffer sentencing began to take hold in the eighties, the crime rate started to decline. It is no exaggeration to say that the appearance of (as Doug calls it) "incarceration nation" has EXACTLY coincided with very significant downtrend in crime that the country has seen now for about the last 25 years (just as the prison population was swelling). Indeed, a better-than-plausible argument can be made that imprisonment is the most effective social program of the last generation.
Nor is this a surprise. It is only a relative handful of the population that commits the huge majority of crime. When the people who commit it are in prison rather than on the street, less gets committed.
It's true that imprisonment has costs, as does every other government-sponsored remedy for social problems. But to focus ONLY on the costs, while denying the substantial benefits (many fewer crimes and crime victims) is obtuse. That, however, is largely what goes on on this forum. There is all manner of talk of the need for less imprisonment, but virtual silence about the need for less crime.
I'm not running for office, and neither is Kent Scheidegger or, for example, federalist. The idea that only political cowardice accounts for being relatively hard line is incorrect, not to mention unworthy.
The gains we have made against crime over the last generation are hard won and easily lost. The costs of imprisonment are easy to quantify, and thus publicize, because they occupt a line on the budget. The benefits of imprisonment are much harder to quantify, because there is no budget line for that. But a family made more secure because its home was NOT burgled, or a woman more at ease in life because she was NOT raped, or a man whose savings are still there because he was NOT swindled -- all those people count too, and they are not less real nor less deserving of the law's protection because they cannot be identified by name or put down of a budget line.
P.S. I also disagree with your view that "the criminal justice system is a bit like the national debt: it no longer functions well, no one in power, of either party, ever offers an intelligent solution for fixing it." Only a few days ago, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) offered a plan that takes on two of the three entitlement programs that are driving the national debt.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 11, 2011 9:17:35 AM
Isn't this article a cliche and clutter? And its mirror image, a conservative is a liberal who has been mugged, would also be a cliche, except for one thing.
For every conservative that goes to jail, and changes interest? There are 10 liberals who get mugged.
That is correct. Our criminal justice system addresses only 1 in 10 serious, traditional crimes. It is nearly worthless. Imagine any other enterprise that addressed only 10% of its area of responsibility. An appliance repair shop that fixed 1 in 10 broken washing machines. A roofer who closed only 1 in 10 holes in the roof. A doctor that bothered treating only 1 in 10 pneumonia patients who came to him. Not law suits, arrests, as a threat to the public safety.
Why is the lawyer not only not removed, but immunized? It is mostly because we have allowed the lawyer to immunize himself. We cannot even criticize the Supreme Court as an elected official without getting bashed by other law makers (who just happen to be lawyers). The bashers are from one's own party and ideologically similar. Then, one is removed from positions of power, and prosecuted on false, trumped up, malum prohibitum charges. The system is run tighter than any the KGB ran or Castro's.
Now Prof. Berman has twice my IQ and 10 times the knowledge of the facts of crime. Why is my high school stuff excluded from his perspective? He is also a victim. A victim of a criminal cult indoctrination that only values the rent. He knows, he would be destroyed if he ever questioned any fundamental matter, such as utter failure.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Apr 11, 2011 10:24:06 AM
I would appreciate Prof. Berman's just writing in a comment the following.
Not in the context of victim impact statements, just by itself. That would show some caring for the sole purpose of the criminal law, or of government, safety.
Victim impact will soon require representation at taxpayer expense. It is unlawful testimony without cross examination, or verification. It violates the Rules of Evidence by its inflammatory nature. It is also trivial. Every juror knows, it is bad to lose a loved one or to be a crime victim. Nothing new is added except for the enhancement of lawyer employment. Victim impact is lawyer rent seeking in disguise and not appreciated.
He cannot write the word, victim, by itself. This is silly, but it is a general principle I discovered. No lawyer can do it. If he does not get sick doing it, he will soon find out. Other lawyers will be merciless with him. He will get a warning from the cult. I have no desire to jeopardize his safety or future. So, I will understand if he cannot do it.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Apr 11, 2011 10:38:19 AM
Bill Otis--
I was making a rather different point. I am certainly aware that there are conservatives like you and Kent, who aren't running for office, but who believe that the current approach to incarceration has worked.
I am merely pointing out the intellectual inconsistency of conservatives who hold the opposite viewpoint, but never said so until they were out of office.
Whether the Paul Ryan plan qualifies as an intelligent solution to the debt is debatable. I suspect he knows it has no chance of being enacted, which means it is probably intended to be provocative, rather than to solve anything: even in Republicans' wildest dreams, they are unlikely to get the votes that would be needed to curtail Medicare and Social Security to that degree. Most swing-district and swing-state Republicans know that it would be electoral death to enact that plan. It is as much of a non-starter as a huge tax increase.
Posted by: Marc Shepherd | Apr 11, 2011 11:35:44 AM
Bill Otis,
With all respect, your analysis is quite flawed. Specifically, your assertion that incarceration is a significant cause of lower crime rates is inaccurate. Governmental data and reports clearly show that the decrease in crime - especially violent crime - is only very marginally linked to the rise in incarceration.
That is especially true when speaking of violent crime, which you particularly describe. Analysis of crime rates shows that only about 25% of the decline in violent crime can be attributed to increased incarceration. As the Sentencing Project notes: "While one-quarter of the crime drop is not insubstantial, we then know that most of the decline — three-quarters — was due to factors other than incarceration". In fact most people filling our prisons are imprisoned for drug-related crimes deemed non-violent and victimless by the courts and the prison system.
It is precisely because the data shows that incarceration is *not* working to prevent violent crime, that so many are also looking at the dysfunction of mass incarceration and asking for reform. I refer you to the Sentencing Project's report "Incarceration and Crime: A Complex Relationship" for information about crime stats and analysis about the decrease in crime and the rise in incarceration.
Incidentally, I find it very curious that some of those who call themselves "conservatives" are in favor of increased incarceration, which is a very recent, new phenomena in U.S. society, and probably one of the more massive and intense (not to mention costly) governmental interventions into private life in U.S. history.
Posted by: anon | Apr 11, 2011 11:40:11 AM
Marc --
Let me refer you to this morning's column in the Washington Post by Robert Samuelson, http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/04/11/big_government_on_the_brink_109497.html.
I quote below the last two paragraphs, but the whole thing is worth reading:
"Stalemate reigns. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's proposed 2012 budget forthrightly addresses health spending but doesn't make any cuts in Social Security. Ryan's plan would ultimately gut defense and some valuable domestic programs; it wouldn't reach balance until about 2040. Compared to Democrats, however, Ryan is a model of intellectual rigor and political courage. Obama would run huge deficits from now to eternity; the Congressional Budget Office has projected $12.2 trillion of added debt from 2010 to 2021 under his policies. Obama urges an "adult" conversation and acts like a child, denying the unappealing choices.
"Government is suicidal because it breeds expectations that cannot be met. All the partisan skirmishing over a federal shutdown has missed the larger issue: whether we can restore government as an instrument of progress or whether it remains -- as it is now -- a threat."
We are 14 trillion dollars in debt. The debt this year alone will be 1.6 trillion. We are borrowing 40 cents of every dollar we spend. This cannot continue. The problem is not with Ryan's plan or any plan that reforms entitlements, which is the only way out. The problem is with a culture besotted with the belief that the government will and should take care of you. Ryan is a least a little willing to take that on; Obama isn't, not one little bit. His budget for next year did not include any entitlement reform whatever -- an abdication of leadership of simply astounding proportions.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 11, 2011 12:52:31 PM
It's just the old joke: What do you call a conservative who's been arrested? A liberal.
Posted by: lawtype | Apr 11, 2011 1:19:08 PM
anon --
Your note is, while civil in tone (for which I thank you), both incorrect and self-contradictory.
You maintain in your first paragraph that, "Governmental data and reports clearly show that the decrease in crime - especially violent crime - is only very marginally linked to the rise in incarceration." You do not, however, cite any particular government report or explain how it supports your view. But for however that may be, you contradict yourself in the second paragraph by conceding that, "Analysis of crime rates shows that only about 25% of the decline in violent crime can be attributed to increased incarceration."
Well, 25% is hardly "very marginal." To the contrary, it translates to a very significant contribution to the reduction in the crime rate and the total number of crime victims. Indeed it means thousands fewer victims. Are you ready to throw that away to go back to the old, sixties chant of "rehabilitation" -- a chant we know failed to stem the massive increase of crime that occurred in its heyday?
Then in your third paragraph, you say, "It is precisely because the data shows that incarceration is *not* working to prevent violent crime, that so many are also looking at the dysfunction of mass incarceration and asking for reform."
Having acknowledged in your second paragraph that a quarter of the huge reduction in crime since the late seventies is due to incarceration (your 25% figure is something I am assuming here arguendo, without conceding that it's that low), it's nonsensical to say that incarceration "is not working." The only question is whether it working moderately well or extremely well.
The great majority of those seeking prisoner releases and lower sentences are not conservatives, and among those who are, almost the entire driving force is the imperative to cut back government spending and borrowing. It is liberals, who never believed in serious punishment to begin with, and the defense bar in particular, that is leading the charge to take criminals out of prison and put them back on the street.
When they get back, do you think the rate of recidivism is zero? How much more crime, specifically, are you willing to allow to accomplish your leniency goals? And what do you say to the additional people who'll be beaten, mugged, robbed, swindled, ripped off, raped and murdered when these people are back on the street?
And no, don't pretend that only those who commit property crimes, or who "merely" want to sell meth or coke to your 16 year-old, will be getting out (which, mind you, would be bad enough). The Left is fond of pointing out -- correctly -- that the system makes mistakes. The idea that it will be mistake-free in prisoner releases is preposterous. Such releases are going to increase danger to the public.
Who among those wanting a massive curtailment of imprisonment is willing to say to the victim of the inmate who was released last week and sold coke to your kid this week, "Oh, sorry about that, but prison costs money, and if your kid winds up an addict, well, that's the way the cookie crumbles."
I hope they're a lot of you, because that conversation will be needed many, many times.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 11, 2011 1:32:17 PM
Bill Otis
I agree with these statements 100%.
We are borrowing 40 cents of every dollar we spend. This cannot continue. The problem is not with Ryan's plan or any plan that reforms entitlements, which is the only way out. The problem is with a culture besotted with the belief that the government will and should take care of you. Ryan is a least a little willing to take that on; Obama isn't, not one little bit.
On incarceration, most are doing time for drugs.
They do need time to dry out, think about what they've done and maybe "get it", lots donot.
The following is extremekly excessive:
Life 3 strikes.
Anything over 7 yrs for a 1st time offender.
(Unless violence took place, they actually did
something with a gun)
serving 87.2 % of the sentence, 60% is adequente.
Uncharged and acquited conduct.
1000 ft enhancement is worthless...If a gun was present or the protected area was with in straight
sight unobstructed and within 300 ft..Then yes..
As its defined...It goes from property line to property line...If I lived in Northern N.D and owned the entire state and a school was 10 ft over the N.D border in S.D. I would be within 1000ft.....
In general there are too many areas that defendents get sentences jacked up, because of a potentiasl for this or that....Something must of happened, not the potential.. Best example is owi as a crime of violence...It took Scotus to knock it down or the Feds would continue on....
Posted by: Josh | Apr 11, 2011 2:35:31 PM
My issue with the Ryan proposal is that, as you have noted, it doesn't reach balance until 2040. As a nation, we have long since proved two things. First, we are not able to make economic projections 29 years into the future. Second, where the deficit is concerned, the assumptions are always too rosy. Compare, for example, the projections that were made when the Reagan and Bush 43 tax cuts were enacted. As I recall, it took no more than a year or two for the underlying premise to be disproved (from a budgetary standpoint).
By the way, I am not suggesting that Obama's plan (does he even have one?) is better. What I'm saying is that nobody can trust a plan that takes 29 years, as Ryan's purports to do. There is no rational basis in history, to suggest that we are capable of staying the course for 29 years, even if the underlying economic assumptions are correct, which they probably aren't.
Posted by: Marc Shepherd | Apr 11, 2011 2:54:40 PM
Josh: "The problem is with a culture besotted with the belief that the government will and should take care of you. Ryan is a least a little willing to take that on; Obama isn't, not one little bit."
It's rather simplistic to couch this as "Ryan vs. Obama." Remember, on Bush 43's watch, Medicare saw its largest expansion since the 1960s, with passage of the prescription drug benefit. Whether you agree with that or not, it's irrational to suggest that this is something only Democrats do.
It'll be interesting to see if the Republican presidential nominee embraces anything as bold as Ryan has proposed. My prediction is that he or she will not, as it's a sure loser. You may wish you had been born into some other culture; but this is the culture we have.
Posted by: Marc Shepherd | Apr 11, 2011 3:31:56 PM
Marc, we are becoming Federalized... The feds are trying to controlore and more....They can't get a budget out the door, much less decide on something as simple as 18:1 should be retro...
We are in for a ride..
Posted by: Josh | Apr 11, 2011 4:11:44 PM
"On incarceration, most are doing time for drugs."
State prison inmates whose offense of commitment is a drug offense are, in fact, less than 29% of the total. See Bureau of Justice Statistics, Prisoners in 2009, Table 10, page 9.
How many of those drug offense commitments are the result of plea bargains where violent crime charges are dropped we do not know.
Posted by: Kent Scheidegger | Apr 11, 2011 4:41:20 PM
Josh: "They [drug offenders] do need time to dry out, think about what they've done and maybe 'get it', lots do not."
You appear to be under the impression that most of the incarcerated drug offenders are users rather than sellers. If so, what is your basis for that?
Posted by: Kent Scheidegger | Apr 11, 2011 5:07:49 PM
When the topic is mass incarceration, Bill typically invokes cases arising from lurid violence and depravity. SC raves about muggers and victims.
The problem with their default boogeymen is that I've yet to hear even the most ardent opponent of mass incarceration argue violent criminals are being locked up too often or too long.
For me the issue is the relentless persecution and mindlessly harsh punishment of our witches de jour...drug abusers, ordinary business people accused of white-collar crimes, legal-technicality "sex offenders" who pose little or no risk of harm to anyone, ex-cons who slip on any of the numerous banana peels we keep throwing in their paths.
Bill again dismisses as absurd the notion prisons are "chock full of factually innocent people..." Maybe so, but the prisons are indeed full of non-violent citizens strong-armed into confessing to felonies for actions that should have been misdemeanors or grounds for firing, a fine or a lawsuit or simply public censure.
And yes, Bill, too many citizens -- whatever the number -- are in prison for no other reason than the government's power to make the prospect of losing at trial sufficiently devastating to discourage even "factually innocent" people from taking that risk.
Cunningham put it well: "The 95% conviction rate reached by threats of long sentences, intimidation, lies and prosecutorial abuse has got to be reckoned with now, not later."
The system grows evermore unbalanced and unfair, from the way the laws are written to ensure convictions to the blind eye courts routinely turn to abuses by police and prosecutors. Worse of all, the option of incarceration has advanced from a reluctant last resort to the gleeful first response it appears to be now.
Posted by: John K | Apr 11, 2011 7:33:13 PM
John K --
"Cunningham put it well: 'The 95% conviction rate reached by threats of long sentences, intimidation, lies and prosecutorial abuse has got to be reckoned with now, not later.'"
You're actually going to enlist Duke Cunningham as a credible source??? I put up the real story with Cunningham in the third comment, at Apr 10, 2011 4:13:37 PM. In that comment, I quoted Cunningham as telling his about to be ex-colleagues (not the court and not the PO) that he was a crook and a liar all along and had just been too weak to admit it.
You have not so far disputed a single word in that comment. Do you dispute it now? On what basis?
And do you really think Cunningham doesn't belong in prison? Yikes. BTW, if he had NOT gone to prison, your fellow lefties would be howling -- justifiably for once -- that the powerful get special treatment.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 11, 2011 8:57:52 PM
John: In 95% of cases, the adjudicated charge is fictitious. So I stab someone 50 times. She is too terrified to testify. I will walk soon. The DA offers me a criminal trespass charge and its maximum sentence. I am now on the books for a non-violent crime. You come along and think my 5 years is excessive. To you my crime sounds like I broke in to pee, and ate a sandwich from the fridge.
The lawyer has it rigged so that it is impossible to judge whether the rate of incarceration is too much or too little.
I believe the prison population should be 90% smaller than it is. Prison should be restricted to 1 and 2 of 123D. I would like to see 90% of criminals executed before they reach their peak of criminal activity in their 20's.
Please, remember, when you oppose such a proposal, you are supporting the death penalty for 17,000 murder victims. It is a package deal. Support for abolition is support for eradication of murder victims, including 100's of little kids a year.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Apr 12, 2011 12:30:30 AM
Cunningham's character doesn't seem especially relevant when you consider that a sizable and growing chorus of more credible voices, including some I assume even you'd respect, has been singing precisely the same tune over the past ten years or so.
Does Cunningham still belong in prison? I don't know. Prison sentences strike me as arbitrary, either pulled from a hat (or other orifice) or based on historic practices that were no less arbitrary in their time. Certainly some folks would be devastated by "only" six months in prison. Yet many inmates do years or decades seemingly without a struggle.
So I can't say if Cunningham has suffered enough for his crimes and neither can you, Bill. All either of us can say with certainty is that he hasn't finished serving his sentence.
Tell me, SC, exactly whom would you put in charge of your 123D system. Certainly not the "dumbass lawyers" (defense, prosecution and judges) you berate at every opportunity. So who then, tribunals of like-minded, vengeful death-penalty zealots?
For different reasons, neither of us cares much for the bizarre bargaining system that's evolved since lawmakers and prosecutors fully embraced the career-enhancing value of targeting far more citizens than they could ever fairly and adequately bring to trial.
Posted by: John K | Apr 12, 2011 11:45:51 AM
John K --
"So I can't say if Cunningham has suffered enough for his crimes and neither can you, Bill. All either of us can say with certainty is that he hasn't finished serving his sentence."
Wrongo. Both of us can say with certainty that he's a remarkably greedy and deceitful man who spent years earning his way to his numerous felony convictions, and the fact that he has them credits, rather than discredits, the system.
The difference is that I WILL say it, and you won't.
Posted by: Bill Otis | Apr 12, 2011 9:46:08 PM
John: I consider judging to be a difficult profession. It is almost unrelated to lawyering, and trained lawyers should be disqualified automatically.
My hair cutter went to beauty school 2000 hours. She took a lengthy written test. Licensing officials watched her cut the hair of three different types of people. She has a license. Judging has to be at least as difficult as cutting hair. Yet, amateurs are appointed or elected, without training, let alone testing.
No. There should be separate professional judging schools. Middle aged people who have taken responsibility in other fields would apply and be accepted. They would undergo 2 years of judge training. The main message? Obey the law, do not remake the law. The third year of judge school would be spent judging real cases with supervision. Then they qualify to take a judge licensing examination. Licensed judges are allowed to run for office or to get appointed to the bench.
While what they do is inherently dangerous, and they qualify for strict liability in torts, they would be liable only for deviations from professional standards of due care for their mistakes. Each would be required to carry insurance for the compensation of those injured by their carelessness. Because of this liability, they must be allowed to investigate.
The salary would be triple that of today. Bonuses for saving money, and for lowering the crime rate.
Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Apr 13, 2011 9:10:13 PM


text:
Gluten-Free Bagels with Cashew Cream "Cheese" Spreads
Gluten-Free Bagels with Cashew Cream "Cheese" Spreads
When was the last time you had a bagel with all of the fixings? It felt like way too long for us, and when a craving strikes at So Delicious Dairy Free HQ, we head into the kitchen!
Our vision for the perfect Vegan bagel schmear started out simply enough, but it quickly escalated from the perfect dairy-free spread into the ultimate gluten-free bagel brunch!
If you're interested in hearing about how we made 2 versions of Vegan "lox"—out of papaya and mango—as well as 2 versions of cashew cream "cheese" spread—original and blueberry—then read on!
After we created these soft and chewy gluten-free bagels, we were excited to experiment with a few of our Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternatives and cashew cream to create some tangy and flavorful cream "cheese" spreads.
We began by soaking raw cashews in water overnight (enough to cover the cashews). We then drained the cashews and placed them in a blender (about 3 C. of Raw Cashews) and covered them with 3/4 C. of fresh cold water. Before placing the lid on the blender, add a pinch of salt, 1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil, the juice of 2 lemons, and 3 Tbsp. of So Delicious Plain Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative. Blend until very smooth, about 2-minutes, scraping down the sides midway through if necessary.
This resulted in a whole bunch of cashew cream "cheese". It tasted great, with just the right amount of tang. If you're up for making a few more flavors, this serves as a great base. We separated out half to chill in the fridge overnight as it tasted just like we hoped our plain cream "cheese" would. And set out to make a blueberry flavored schmear with the rest.
With the other half of the plain spread in the blender, we added a handful of blueberries (about 20 fresh blueberries), another 1/4 C. of soaked cashews, and 3 Tbsp. of Blueberry Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative. We then blended to combine for 30 seconds or so. It will appear a bit thin at this stage but once it's chilled in the fridge overnight it will have a nice spreadable texture.
- Garlic, Chive, and Onion
- Jalapeno
- Strawberry
- Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
Now for the Accoutrements:
With red onion, capers and cucumber in hand, the only thing we were missing was something smokey for a perfect vegan "Lox" bagel. Inspired by the idea, we took a mandolin to some fresh papaya and a yellow mango and set the thin slices aside.
We had a lot of papaya slices, which meant we had some to play with. We set half of the papaya slices in a jelly roll pan (or small baking sheet) and covered them with water. We then added 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. of liquid smoke. After 20 minutes of marinating in the mixture, the result was flavorful and smokey papaya—an excellent complement to our cashew cream schmear!
Serve the papaya "lox" over a schmeared poppy seed bagel with some cucumber, red onion, and capers for classic lox bagel flavor, or the mango "lox" atop a blueberry schmeared bagel for a sweeter, more tropical brunch.
Keep in mind: there are no rules with bagels. What's great is that everyone can enjoy them just the way they want!
– So Delicious Dairy Free Team
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subset: commoncrawl


text: On Wed, Apr 4, 2012 at 8:08 AM, Phil! Gold <phil_g at pobox.com> wrote: > I stayed up way too late last night. Try visiting those URLs again. > (Once again, most of the map will rerender after you've looked at it so > the way to see the changes in different areas is to look at them once then > come back as much as a half hour later.) Other places that I know are > rerendered include these: > http://elrond.aperiodic.net/shields/?zoom=14&lat=37.27562&lon=-79.93635&layers=B0 > http://elrond.aperiodic.net/shields/?zoom=13&lat=40.12983&lon=-74.71446&layers=B0 Amazing, this looks fantastic! Can't wait to see this as the official map of OSM US. Is this something that could be used in a Carto stylesheet, or does it use special syntax only supported by XML? I know it's not really relevant to this thread, but since you have a separate stylesheet from the standard OSM one, maybe you could reduce the prominence of standard highway labels on residential/unclassified highways: http://elrond.aperiodic.net/shields/?zoom=15&lat=38.78332&lon=-77.30564&layers=B0 https://trac.openstreetmap.org/ticket/4183 -Josh


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When the Redskins fired Mike Shanahan as head coach, they also relieved eight of Shanahan's assistants of their duties.
Now that Jay Gruden has been hired as the team's new head coach, they've parted ways with two others. Chris Russell of ESPN 980 reports that running backs coach/assistant head coach Bobby Turner and assistant special teams/defensive backs coach Richard Hightower will not be part of Gruden's staff.
Turner spent 15 seasons as the running backs coach in Denver and stayed with the Broncos for a year after Shanahan was replaced by Josh McDaniels before heading to Washington. Sixteen different backs had 100-yard games and six backs had 1,000-yard seasons for the Broncos under Turner. Alfred Morris hit 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons while Morris, Roy Helu and Evan Royster each cracked 100 yards in games to add to Turner's career totals on those fronts.
Hightower spent fourth years on the Redskins staff and added the defensive back duties to his special teams work in 2012. The team fired special teams coach Keith Burns after letting Shanahan go, but defensive backs coach Raheem Morris' future with the team remains undetermined.


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Sustainability On Campus
On November 3, 2015, former president Mark Roosevelt signed the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). The ACUPCC is a high-visibility effort to make campuses more sustainable and address global warming through institutional commitments to reduce and ultimately neutralize greenhouse gas emissions on campus. The initiative is modeled after the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
Leadership and the Environment at Antioch Fellow (LEAF) Eliza Crane '19 and physical plant director Reggie Stratton have developed a five-year energy history for the College. Based on their research, Antioch seems to be turning the corner in terms of energy consumption. Between 2011 and 2014, the College's energy consumption grew rapidly. But in 2015, even though the College's occupancy space and headcount increased, the amount of energy use per square foot and per person decreased. This is an indication that sustainable building design, solar and geothermal projects are having an impact.
In addition to Stratton and Crane's historic energy data project, soon, the installation of metering and monitors for the GLCA Energy Dashboard project will be complete. This project allows Antioch to monitor and track energy use in McGregor, South and Birch Halls. The data will then be available to be integrated into classroom learning to connect Antioch's values around sustainability to the curriculum.
This winter, the College instituted a Building Temperature Policy to focus on behavioral aspects of reducing energy consumption, and reductions in energy consumption are expected to continue. The energy consumption data will also be used to develop the College's Green House Gas Emissions Inventory and our Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (ASSHE) Princeton Review energy metrics.
Last summer, sheep were deployed to help manage vegetative growth in solar array in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint. The College will no longer use gas-powered mowers to manage vegetative growth in the array field.


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We just returned from our annual trip to Lake Michigan, but this year was even more fun-filled. Our closest friends from college joined us for the week. They have three girls, too, and all of our little ladies had an amazing time playing together.
I'm going to try to post a few pictures over the next several days to commemorate all of our fun, and I'm starting with the afternoon at the dunes.
Colleen wanted her girls to experience some good ol' Michigan sand dunes since those don't really exist where they are from. We had never been to Warren Dunes State Park even though it's not far from Silver Beach, so we packed up our two mini-vans and headed to the dunes. It was the perfect, not-too-hot day to explore, and we had SO much fun!
We made it to the top! Now for the best part . . . .
After a quick lunch, we were ready to head back into the dunes. We also decided to add a little geocaching to the afternoon which led us deeper into the dunes. We never did find that particular treasure (it appeared to be buried in some thick, most likely poison-ivy filled woods), but we enjoyed exploring the dunes and certainly earned the ice cream cones that we enjoyed later that evening.


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I took a break. A long break.
It's not like I wasn't doing things in the meantime. I got engaged, finished University, got an actual proper job that actually enables me to live, got married, bought a dog, bought a house (well, nearly), and BOOM! It's 2016, I've put a stone on, and I'm looking at a blog I haven't touched in three years and thinking "Hey, why the heck did I let all that life stuff get in the way of keeping this going?"
I thought about starting again completely, but that would be like switching from Weight Watchers to Slimming World when the road gets a bit bumpy – it's fine for some people, but it's not my style. I've changed since I started this blog, I even have a different name now, but it's still a part of who I was, who I am, who I want to be. Plus, there's some pretty funny stuff on here, and it's nice to look back to what was going on back then.
So this is Chapter 2.
As I said… I've put a stone on. I was in three weddings in 2015 (my own being the last) and the thrill of having no dress to worry about fitting in at all ever again; or at least for the rest of the year, took over my already weak willpower.
I haven't even actually made the most of it. I'd love to say I did a Julia Roberts and went up a dress size because I was exploring the tastes of Italy, but I didn't. I mostly drank a lot of mid range wine, and ate a lot of chocolate. I did, however, discover a wonderful Chinese takeaway that deep fries shredded duck pancakes… which is as close to Eat Pray Love as I'm going to get this side of 40.
But no, I'm not jumping ship, I'm just setting a new course. I'm sure the other eating plans work fine for most people, but I'm not ready to give up on what got me to gold just yet, although my free membership has most definitely expired. I'm not quite ready to actually get on the scales yet, but it feels good to be flexing the old muscles a bit and seeing what I've still got.
I've got good feelings for Chapter 2…


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In tribute to Edhi: Iqrar-ul Hasan vows to donate his eyes posthumously
In an exemplary way to pay tribute to Pakistan's great philanthropist late Abdul Sattar Edhi, ARY News anchor Iqrar-ul-Hassan on Monday announced to donate his eyes posthumously.
Iqrar was speaking to Bilquis Edhi, Abdul Sattar Edhi's widow , during ARY Digital's Ramazan transmission "Shan-e-Ramazan" when he announced his decision and urged everyone to donate their organs as this would be the best tribute to Mr Edhi.
Iqrar said that he was inspired by Edhi to donate his eyes after his death, and this was a step to pay tribute to Edhi. "One thing I learned after the death of Edhi sahab, to pay tribute to him and his legacy, is to donate my eyes. "
Iqrar said that he would donate his eyes through Edhi Foundation and expressed hope that his act will encourage others to take similar steps and make donations to save lives and helps others.


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If you are looking for a good strategy that will help you out in your slots gaming, then you might be disappointed to find out that there are no sure-fire way to win in the game, basically because it is still gambling. What you can do however, is to make sure that you maximize your profits and minimize your losses. Note that the casino always has the edge over this game and you might end up broke if you are not careful.
Limiting Your Losses
If you have played slots games before, or any other gambling games for that matter, then chances are, you already have experienced losing bit by bit. Some people believe that they can catch up to their losses if they increase their bet on the next round. This is, however, unadvised since you will simply be risking an even bigger portion of your bankroll. Instead of increasing your bets the next time you lose, you should consider decreasing it instead. As your bankroll diminishes, so should your bets, so that you will get to fight for another round.
(continue reading…)


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In complete province of 16 days quality of middle and primary school teachs the job to be able to go up, vice-governor Huang Sheng says in the speech, my province will deepen reform of college enrollment system further. According to be helpful for college choose new student, be helpful for high school carrying out the quality education, principle that is helpful for advancing high school course to reform, push reform of college recruit students steadily.
My province will fulfil socialization of recruit students of the university entrance exam signing up, the assessment that prohibits be being measured about collection access, award and announce, high school normal education behavior and student attend college entrance exam to distinguish come, ease the pressure of enter a higher school of the school.
Be worth what carry is, the information such as the achievement of examinee of the university entrance exam will be regarded as examinee individual privacy, admit an orgnaization except recruit students beyond, other orgnaization and individual have no right to master all examinee information. Province education office and province exam courtyard should adopt measure to protect the individual privacy of examinee, divide announcement examinee outside the unit is being admitted related this support of the people, must not provide the information such as examinee achievement any nonrelevant units and individual.
This is meant, the achievement of examinee of the university entrance exam will cannot announce external, only the individual masters. The province teachs hall to concern chief introduction, this action aims from go up at all the university entrance exam of hype of high school school that solves each district existence admits the method of rate. Overall the university entrance exam admits a circumstance forbidden also to offer anyplace recommend, also cannot get a rank.
Neat Lu Wan signs up for


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Souraphiel, CM, Berhaneyesus Demerew
Order in College:
Cardinal Priest
With Title:
San Romano Martire
Native Country:
Appointed by:
Pope Francis
on 14 February 2015
Ecclesiastical Office:
Archbishop of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Papal Elector:
Ineligible on 14 July 2028
Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel was born in Cheleleqa, Ethiopia on 14 July 1948. In 1963 he entered the Lazarist Minor Seminary and then he studied philosophy at the Makanissa Major Seminary. In 1970 he moved to London where he studied at the Missionary Institute and earned a bachelor of divinity at King's College. He was ordained a priest on 4 July 1976 in Ethiopia where he was imprisoned by the Communists from 1979-1980. On release, he moved to Rome, where he served as delegate to the General Assembly of the Congregation of the Mission and earned a Master's in socio-economic development at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He returned to Ethiopia and in 1985 began serving as director of the Lazarist Novitiate, as well as serving a parish and lecturing at the St Francis Institute of Philosophy and Theology. With the establishment of the Apostolic Prefecture of Jimma-Bonga, Ethiopia on 10 June 1994, he became the first apostolic prefect. He was ordained a bishop on 25 January 1998, following his appointment as titular Bishop of Bita and as Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa. On 7 July 1999 he was appointed Archbishop of Addis Ababa. Since 2000 he has served as president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia, as official representative of the Catholic Church to the Ethiopian Government and international organizations in Ethiopia. In 2003 he was appointed consultor of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. In 2014 he was elected chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa.
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What's the first thing you think of when you hear the words "goal setting"? You might think of the often over-used advice such as 'set big goals', 'write down your goals' and even 'put your goals where you can see them'.
None of that is bad advice. But there's something missing.
You know that setting goals is important to your success. The problem isn't that you're not convinced of the importance, but that you don't have a process for setting goals.
That changes today.
During the last 15 years of working with top leaders and achievers, I've noticed a recurring theme. They all follow a process for setting goals.
Up until this point you may have set goals in a casual way. More like a list of "wants" rather than actual goals. I understand that because for years that's exactly how I did it.
Just because you have a list of 'hopes' in your mind, doesn't mean you have clear set goals.
When I developed a process for setting goals, I noticed a much higher rate of achievement.
As you take time to define and set your goals, follow this 9-step process:
– CLARITY: Write down exactly what you want to achieve. The more specific and defined, the better. There's a difference between goals and wishes. Take the time upfront to give your vision clarity.
– BENEFITS: Why you want to achieve your goal is more important than how you'll do it. Make a list of every benefit you (and others) will receive by you achieving this goal. When the reward is strong enough, you'll push through challenges and obstacles to make your goals reality. Most people fail to achieve their goals because they don't have a strong enough reason to fight through the challenges.
– DEADLINE: Napoleon Hill once said "A goal is a dream with a deadline". 94.2% of goals have no deadline attached to them. That's a true statistic I just made up.
– SACRIFICE: What will you have to give up to achieve your goals? Regardless of what you're wanting to achieve, sacrifices will need to happen. You may have to give up sleep by waking up earlier to get a strong start to the day. You may have to give up Friday nights hanging out with friends because you're goals are waiting. Knowing the price you'll have to pay to achieve your goals is a significant step towards obtaining them.
[bctt tweet="If your goals don't scare you, they aren't worth it."]
– CHALLENGES: Make a list of the challenges and obstacles you know you'll face. More will pop up, but start with what you know. By knowing what's coming, you can figure out the steps you need to take. This process also reduces anxiety as challenges don't seem as daunting on paper as they do in your head.
– ACTION PLAN: A goal without a plan for obtainment is useless. You need to list out the steps you must take to reach your goals. Like listing out your challenges, you may not know every step right away. That's okay. Sometimes the action steps evolve over a period of time.
– ANCHORS: If your goals are big (and they should be) then you're going to need some help. Make a list of people who's co-operation will increase your chances of success. Also, begin thinking of how you'll recruit their help and support.
– TRACKING: One of the biggest problems I see when it comes to goals is that people aren't measuring their progress. If you're not tracking your progress along the way, you have to idea how close or how far away you are from making your goals reality.
– WHO, NOT WHAT: When setting goals, everyone asks themselves WHAT they need to do to achieve them. Not a bad question to ask, but you're missing the most important one. Don't ask WHAT you need to do to be successful, ask WHO you need to be. The thoughts and habits you have today are either guaranteeing your success or your failure. What kind of habits does the person who's already achieved your goals have? That answer is where you want to start.
So there you have it. A true process for setting goals that you can follow over and over again.
You may have failed to achieve your goals in the past and as a result, are under the belief that goal setting doesn't work. I can assure you that having no direction and plan of attack won't help you either.


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The Australian Government (particularly Veterans' Affairs) has refused to pay compo to thousands of injured workers who are entitled to compensation, by arguing those workers failed to me certain demands – demands not based in law according to the High Court (2016) and the Full Court of the Australian Federal Court (2015).
These courts strongly disagreed with the Government by concluding that injured workers are NOT always required to prove:
(i) a causal connection with employment (at [44]); or
(ii) that the injuries occurred suddenly (at [47]); or
(iii) that evidence is from a medical specialist (at [62]), i.e. courts can make common sense inferences from a sequence of events.
There have been two investigations into the facts in my case:
(1) the air force investigation, where the investigating officers refused to interview my witnesses; refused to accept evidence from me since it supported my case; threatened to imprison me if I ever spoke about any of my case; and handed the investigation over to Air Force Headquarters, who later admitted they never completed the investigation.
(2) the Tribunal investigation where they dismissed all of the evidence as being not "objective", even when that evidence was from a computer, specialists, or Government Departments.
Whereas the Federal Court found that the Tribunal erred in law by imposing such unlawful demands, the High Court found the Tribunal faultless.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGE: I was a 'healthy and very fit' qualified aerobatics pilot (at [53]). Later the air force medically discharged me for 'debilitating', 'incapacitating' vertigo.[1] The Tribunal accepted specialist medical evidence that I became 'disabled' (at [48]), and found that physiology means functioning.[2] Therefore, becoming disabled is physiological change. Yet, the Tribunal denied compensable injury as it was 'not satisfied… that Mr May suffered a physical injury… amounting to a… physiological change in the normal functioning of the body…' (at [63]). Why? 'The Tribunal accepts that objective evidence … would be evidence of physiological change… However, there is no objective evidence…' (at [59]). What makes Government departments and medical specialists not objective?
SWELLING: The Tribunal explained 'objective evidence of a swollen tongue… would be evidence of physiological change' (at [59]). I submitted to the Tribunal evidence from many doctors; including Dr S.C. Babu, Commanding Officer (CO) of the RAAF Institute of Aviation Medicine (AVMED) and Dr J. Newlands, Medical Officer (MO) AVMED, who confirmed 'Tongue and palate swelling… May remains symptomatic'. The Tribunal accepted evidence from other air force doctors who reported: 'tongue swelling, pushing forward on teeth… tongue … fissured…' (at [21]). I also submitted photographs. However, after Veterans Affairs denied 'any objective evidence' (at [36]), the Tribunal found, 'there is no objective evidence of Mr May's swollen tongue…' (at [59]). What makes photographs and force doctors not objective?
VERTIGO: A St Vincent's Hospital computer called the 'Balance Master' measured an 'abnormal' result.[3] This computer and its apparatus measure effects of dizziness and vertigo – such as how much a patient sways when trying to stand still or otherwise controlling movement.
Medical specialists and Air Force officers and doctors reported that I suffer vertigo.[4] The Tribunal said that 'objective evidence of … dizziness would be evidence of physiological change. … However, there is no objective evidence of Mr May's …dizziness…' (at [59]). What makes a computer not objective? A computer!
CAUSALITY: The High Court found that the Tribunal did NOT require a causal connection, which is surprising considering that the Tribunal wrote, '[i]t is the causal connection between the vaccinations Mr May received and the reaction Mr May claims to have suffered following the vaccinations which is the critical issue in this case' (at [49]). The Tribunal considered evidence, such as TGA saying 'Causality: Certain' and royal australian air force (RAAF) doctors reporting 'reaction to Vaccine' (at [42]). However, Veterans' Affairs convinced the Tribunal that neither TGA nor the RAAF are objective: 'there is no objective evidence to connect the condition with the vaccinations' (at [65]). What makes Government departments not objective?
The Tribunal denied vaccine causality (of which there are many types) because the Department of Veterans' Affairs' witness Dr R. Loblay rejected one type of vaccine reaction – immunologically mediated reactions. His reason was that 'there is no biological mechanism consistent with a vaccine generating an immune response' (at [35]). Let's be clear: Loblay required biological mechanism (aka mechanistic; aka plausibility) evidence, as detailed in his report to the Tribunal (discussed at [33]-[35]). Loblay wrote, "… epidemiological evidence… cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship… mechanistic evidence is required' and '…May fails to meet the necessary criteria for mechanistic plausibility… used by the IOM…' Loblay (pp 8-10) alleged these demands were founded on the research of 'Sir Austin Bradford Hill' (Hill, 1965) and the 'Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2011)'. However, when we check Loblay's 'scientific criteria' we find Hill actually wrote that this "is a feature I am convinced we cannot demand. What is biologically plausible depends upon the biological knowledge of the day" (p 298, my emphasis). Likewise, the IOM accepted probable causality on epidemiologic evidence without biological / mechanistic evidence: 'A conclusion of "favors acceptance of a causal relationship" must be supported by either epidemiologic evidence of moderate certainty of an increased risk or by mechanistic evidence of intermediate weight' (my emphasis; p 8, see also pp 2, 10, 11, 43). I showed the Tribunal this. The Tribunal wrote, 'Mr May was critical of Dr Loblay's reports… also that he had misconstrued some of the material which he took into consideration in formulating his opinion' (at [47); and 'Despite the reservations about Dr Loblay's evidence expressed by Mr May, the Tribunal found his evidence convincing…' (at [56]). Further, the argument the Tribunal disproved was a specific type of reaction known as an 'immunologically mediated reaction to vaccines' (at [32], [38], [56]), which was nothing to do any of the causality arguments I ran! In sum: no compo, since no causality, since I failed to meet a requirement the (misrepresented and misquoted) science says must not be demanded.
[1]Squadron Leader (SQNLDR) Dr C. Watson, Senior Medical Officer (SMO) wrote, 'May became unwell soon after joining the RAAF in 1998. … Long history of debilitating symptoms…' (15 Sep 02)
Specialist Dr P. Barrie, ENT Surgeon wrote, '…Pilot who has had imbalance since he was given immunisation injections in 1998… Clearly the effects of this imbalance are potentially going to be very severe on this young man's career…' (18 Dec 02)
Wing Commander (WGCDR) T. McDonald, Deputy Director Personnel Support, AFHQ wrote, 'you are Medically Unfit for Further Service (MUFS).' (31 Mar 03)
Squadron Leader (SQNLDR) Dr G. Wilson, Senior Medical Officer (SMO) wrote, 'May continues to suffer from Vertigo and the symptoms are moderately disabling. He is unfit for the duties which he enlisted for (Pilot training).' (2 Apr 03)
Specialist Dr, Professor P. Fagan, Otology, Neurotology wrote, '…he would appear to be genuinely handicapped… almost certainly there is nothing that can be done for him…' (13 Jan 04; 1061)
Wing Commander (WGCDR) Dr M. O'Donoghue, Commanding Officer (CO) 2ATHS (hospital at RAAF Base Williamtown) wrote, 'May continues to suffer with chronic persisting symptoms' (25 Feb 04)
Specialist Dr R. Loblay, allergist wrote, '[May] is significantly disabled" (26 Oct 10)
Specialist Dr A. Dowe, Consultant Ear Nose Throat (ENT) Surgeon wrote, 'Prescribed impairment: Persisting vertigo' (2756) 'overall assessment of incapacity overall for civilian employment would be large (60% to 100%). … I cannot see that there is going to be any significant improvement … in Mr May's retiring impairment or incapacity for civilian employment.' (11 Jun 11)
[2] '…'physiological' is defined in the Macquarie Dictionary (Revised 3rd edition) as meaning "consistent with the normal functioning of an organism" and 'physiology' as "the science dealing with the functioning of living organisms of their parts" (at [51]).
[3] Balance Master: (i.e. a computer at St Vincent's Hospital). … Comparison to Clinically Normal Scores. 50% represents an average score. 5% or less… represents a clinically abnormal score. 4.4% Percentile Rank Relative to Normal Population … 4.3% Eyes closed – Average Position (18 Sep 03)
St Vincents Hospital Physiotherapist K. De Lapp wrote, '…test has excessive sway and the score is abnormal.' (8 Oct 03)
'experiencing Dizzyness [sic] and fatigue [..] glands palpable… viral illness' Dr Wride, 6Hosp MO wrote, 'History as above. …Not fit for operational deployment' (22 Nov 98; 0085)
Squadron Leader (SQNLDR) Dr C. Watson, SMO: This situation has been ongoing since 1998 and remains unresolved.' (15 Sep 02)
Specialist Dr. J. Tonkin, ENT wrote, '…more or less a continuous feeling of vertigo since the second day of entering the air force in November 1998. tinnitus in his left ear… he has tinnitus.' (1 Jul 03)
Wing Commander (WGCDR) Dr. V. Duffy, MO wrote, 'Longstanding vertigo' (19 Nov 03)
Colonel J. Brock, Defence Health Services (DHS) wrote, 'vestibular disturbance including episodic rotational vertigo, remain unchanged and have now persisted for a period in excess of 4 years.' (1 Jun 04)
WGCDR Dr. M O'Donoghue Commanding Officer 2ATHS wrote, 'Recurrent Vertigo…' (24 Jun 04) Wing Commander (WGCDR) Dr. Vince Duffy, MO wrote, 'a history of disequilibrium' (25 Jun 04)
Specialist Dr T. Kertesz, ENT surgeon wrote, 'Dizziness… history of dysequilibrium. It seems to have started after air force vaccinations in 1998. Since then he has had positional imbalance, worse with changes in pressure whilst swimming or in an aeroplane. …constant disequilibrium and imbalance.' (6 May 08; 1849)
Specialist Dr. D. Pohl, ENT wrote, 'chronic recurrent vertigo requiring medication.' (17 Dec 08)
I'm Ben. https://www.facebook.com/BJEMay
Someone, not me, deleted my old site.
© Benjamin May 1997 – 2014 All rights reserved.
3 responses
Hi Ben, this is an awful story and injustice. I firmly believe that vaccines can affect people and the medical profession will not acknowledge this. I truly am sorry and hope you will continie towards better health. Reading through this I was curious as you noted the vaccination was improperly administered and wondered what you meant by that? Also was it a particular vaccine? My son had reaction as a baby so I have an interest especially as an adult being forced to have them for employment etc. Kind regards
2017 January 19 at 19:24
Thank you. I actually ended up on your other site and read in it's entirety chapter by chapter so I have a good understanding of your story! It was like a good book that one can't put down. You are definitely a talented writer and your intelligence and humour shine through. Worthy of a 60 mins story but vacc comp is a hot potato they don't want to stir. I'm not anti-vax I just think there are too many being forced on people, new ones added and very little evidence these are safe. It takes years for a new drug to be accepted as safe and most dont pass, but vaccines seem to get a free pass..I just don't get it. Actually there was more personal nature to my query than I expressed and I wanted to ask is are you aware if the culture is still the same after all these years? What advice would you give to someone contemplating entering defence force and who is chilled to the bone from your story? If you were young Ben entering now is there anything you would do differently? Also have the other two pilots with similar symptoms made claims? They can't possibly explain a cluster of rare auto-immune diseases as a coincidence? Thank you so much for sharing your story and I sincerely hope you can get resolution of this and recover your health. You are very brave, all the best Ben.
2017 January 21 at 11:56


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Fuel is Racing games. AN open world athletics game set in an exceedingly post-apocalyptic world ravaged by extreme weather oxyacetylene by heating,with players experiencing varied weather effects like occasional tornadoes and sandstorms, additionally as AN accelerated day-night cycle.The world of the sport is over five,560 sq. miles, that is roughly the dimensions of the U.S. state of Connecticut, and utterly absolve to go. within the free roaming mode, the sport options the flexibility to drive anyplace within the game world while not acquisition loading times, but unmitigated a vehicle - or invoking the reset operate to come back to the road - will invoke a loading screen.
Windows XP/7
Intel Pentium 4 or better
2 GB free Space
128 MB Vram
128 MB Vram
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Elder Rights
Center of Excellence
The Elder Rights Center of Excellence helps seniors and their loved ones prevent, respond to and recover from crimes, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
The Elder Rights Center's Senior Advocate program, in which our dedicated volunteers connect with and assist older victims of crime, was recently featured in an article highlighting elder justice volunteer programs nationwide.
Read the article at https://nyceac.org/elder-justice-volunteerism/.
If you or a loved one have experienced one of these, call and see how the Elder Rights Center can help.
Call 866-684.5885 and ask for the Elder Rights Center
Join our senior advocacy team of volunteers and make a real difference in the lives of seniors and disabled adults in our community.
|Advocacy for Senior Crime Victims – The Elder Rights Center of Excellence provides direct assistance to seniors after a crime is reported to law enforcement. Victims receive an array of services in order to assist them to regain their dignity and sense of security and to remain in the least restrictive setting for as long as possible. Our valued Senior Advocacy Volunteers reach out to crime victims to share information and resources and inform seniors of their rights to victim compensation.
|Crime Prevention – Our staff and volunteers keep track of current scams, trends and prevention tips so we can share them with others. Contact us to schedule a free crime prevention presentation for your group of seniors. Favorite topics include: Frauds and Scams, Holiday Safety, and Preventing Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation.
|Professional Training – Whether you are a caregiver or just part of a caring community, knowing how to recognize and respond to elder abuse, neglect and exploitation is a necessary skill. The Elder Rights Center of Excellence offers training tailored to the needs of professionals in the law enforcement, health care, senior housing and public service arenas. Contact us to schedule a free training.
|Public Awareness – Help seniors, their loved ones and caregivers fight back by identifying the most common crimes, tips on how to avoid crimes, and how to report crimes if you have been a victim. Please see our resources below for more information.
|Abuse / Neglect / Exploitation
|Crime Prevention & Victim Assistance
|Identity Theft
|Older Floridians Handbook (A Guide to Laws & Programs Affecting Older Floridians)
|Ten Things Financial Caregivers Need To Know
Questions? Need help? Please feel free to call (561) 684-5885 and press option 3 to leave a voicemail for our Elder Rights Center. We check our voicemail daily and will respond to you as quickly as possible.
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Our Sponsor
Stanley Black & Decker can trace its history back to 1843. For over 150 years, SBD has been a worldwide leader in providing and crafting the...
The Dancing Wheels Company
"It's probably the most equal playing ground for me that I've ever experienced - you're dancing with people, you're not dancing against them, you're a team."
When Mary Verdi-Fletcher was born with spina bifida, she could only dream of becoming a dancer. "From the time that I was a small child, I wanted to follow in my mother's footsteps as a dancer but ... I used braces and crutches when I was very young and then started to use a wheelchair by the time I was 12," she says.
Despite a great desire to learn to dance the way her mother did, Verdi-Fletcher explains that, "There really wasn't a place for a child or an adult for that matter with a disability, a physical disability to learn how to dance. There were no dance studios that you could go to where the teacher would know how to, if you will use a terminology that we use, translate dance."
The idea of being able to dance seemed just to be "a dream that I would have loved to have if I didn't have the disability," she says.
Years later, Verdi-Fletcher was determined to find a way to dance. "Luckily it was back in the first disco days era where people were doing a lot of partner social dancing," she says, "and I found some non-disabled dancers, friends of mine and we started to experiment."
They found that the combination of sitting and standing dancers led to an interesting "fluidity" and they found that "it was very much like skating."
After drawing a great deal of interest from family and friends, Verdi-Fletcher and her dancer partners entered a dance competition. "It was the turning point for showing the world that dance was possible if you were in a wheelchair," she says.
She started giving lessons and soon became connected to the Cleveland Ballet. The company was then known as The Cleveland Ballet Dancing Wheels and it attracted a great deal of attention.
Verdi-Fletcher explains that, "Ballet dancers were inquisitive about it, choreographers really wanted to try their hand at creating dances around it, and people with disabilities wanted to learn how to do this technique and the non-disabled dancers felt like it was just a breath of fresh air in terms of typical dance."
The company as it is now, The Dancing Wheels company, was officially founded in 1980 in Cleveland Ohio. It performs twelve months out of the year and produces between seventy and a hundred shows throughout the year.
Verdi-Fletcher says that people don't quite know what to make of it when they first learn about the company. "When I first speak to people about physically integrated dance, they are unsure of what it is so basically I explain it as stand up and sit down dancers, and we're an inclusionary dance company so we include people of all abilities."
It is the emphasis on the inclusion of people of all abilities that gives them a different perspective from other traditional dance companies.
"When you're dancing in a wheelchair, a lot of times people think before they see it, will think that it's just the stand up dancer pulling the wheelchair dancer around but in reality, to know the technicalities behind it, to be able to do the arms - the port de bras - control the chair on different floor surfaces, to be able to have the same speed and agility as your non-disabled partner, takes many years of training."
Jason Shaw, a sit down dancer, says that "never in my life have I ever danced before, no type of ballet background, anything like that." The training he does with the company means that he is learning new skills on two fronts: classical ballet movements and how to control his wheelchair with the precision needed for the choreography.
Not only does it take a great deal of dedication and work from the sit down dancer, it requires a different approach by the choreographer and stand up dancers.
Catherine Lambert, the company's rehearsal director, says that, "The wheelchair is an entity ... so it requires a special finesse, it doesn't move as fast or as precise sometimes."
Stand up dancer, Dezare Foster, explains that, "When it comes to the choreography, I think we have more time to think about it and do it as stand ups but the partnering, that takes a lot more than when you're with a stand up sometimes because the chair is like a third person."
In order to show as many people as possible the art of integrated dance, The Dancing Wheels company has performed across the country as well as internationally, and visits a variety of venues.
When they perform in places less well equipped for holding a stage or set, they are happy for the message of their performance to be at the forefront of the audience's mind. In fact, with each performance evoking a different facet of life, from disabilities to relationships, the message is the most important part of their mission.
The Dancing Wheels Company also has a full inclusionary dance school, which opened in 1990 and has since provided children, both disabled and non-disabled, with the chance to learn integrated dance.
"It's a wonderful place to visit or participate in because kids are great. If they come into an environment where people are different and they grow up that way, they're so accepting and so we see in our school, kids without disabilities jumping in empty wheelchairs and using them as a means of maybe part of the dance or just because they're inquisitive about it."
The children who learn at the school also get the chance to dance with the company at least once a year. It's an opportunity not only to dance on a grand stage in front of a large audience but to be part of a company that considers itself a family.
Verdi-Fletcher hopes to change the perspective of those sitting in the audience, people who might never have considered both the difficulties faced by someone with a disability and the paths possible to them.
"One of the best comments I think I've ever heard was an audience member that came out afterwards and said, 'you know, I'll never look at a person with a disability in the same way,'" says Verdi-Fletcher. "He said, 'when we used to go down the street and I'd see someone in a wheelchair, I would feel sorry for them. I feel like they must be having a tough time even wheeling down the street. Now, I look at someone in a wheelchair and I wonder what they do, are they a doctor, are they a lawyer, are they a dancer?'"
This is exactly the reaction that Verdi-Fletcher and the dancers involved in the company hope that people will have. They also, however, want each person in the audience, whether disabled or not, to be able to have a better image of themselves, a great confidence in their own abilities, no matter what they believe might be holding them back.
"I think that when I have people see a performance or see what we're doing, I want them to be self-inspired. I want them to go out looking at their own lives and seeing what would make them the happiest, what they were afraid to do before, maybe they're not going to be afraid to do. They're going to have that determination to be all that they can be."
To learn more about The Dancing Wheels Company and School, please visit their website and Facebook page.


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Human Rights Watch Film Festival
Human Rights Watch Film Festival
2 of 3 Events
Screenings will take place at The Sancutary, 3361 Sixth Avenue, Troy, NY (at 101st Street where Sixth Avenue turns into Fifth).
Since its inception, Human Rights Watch's International Film Festival has embodied the power of film to make a difference. Courageous and committed filmmakers produce impressive documentary and feature films, which stimulate passionate conversations about human rights and inspire new generations of human rights activists. Through the universal language of film, we connect the experiences of survivors and activists with our own experiences--a critical step in influencing public opinion and policy makers.
Wednesday: "Conversations On A Sunday Afternoon" (7 PM screening)
Composed of an artful blend of documentary and dramatic elements, Khalo Matabane's "Conversations On A Sunday Afternoon" is a revolutionary film for South Africa--breaking with the hard-hitting historical dramas the country has turned out lately and charging right into the world of ideas. The struggle for reconciliation is nudged aside to reveal a country coming to terms with its new status as a promised land. What does a richer African nation owe to its poorer neighbours? How does political crisis shape personal identity? And is the war over now? A selection from the Human Rights Watch Traveling Film Festival, presented with the Arts Department at RPI and Women Against War.
Thursday: "Men On The Edge: Fishermen's Diary" (7 PM screening)
A documentary by Israeli film makers Avner Faingulernt and Macabit Abramzon set on an isolated and abandoned beach at the border between Gaza and Israel where, against all odds, Israeli and Palestinian fishermen lived and fished together from 1999 to 2003. The Palestinians were teaching the Israelis ancient fishing techniques transmitted from one generation to the next and the Israelis, by their presence, were enabling the Palestinians to continue to fish in Israeli waters. The film intimately and beautifully documents these four crucial years in the lives of this eclectic group of men from warring cultures, who are brought together by their shared work and the natural threats they face each day in the open sea. Ultimately it is not the harshness of nature that is the greatest obstacle to their work, but the pressures of politics and the fighting surrounding their enclave. A selection from the Human Rights Watch Traveling Film Festival, presented with the Arts Department at RPI and Women Against War.


text: Hello. Is anyone in HI looking to sell their Model S (any batt size)? I saw one at the Porsche store in Honolulu, but by the time I called them, it was gone. I tried talking to the showroom, but the 60s aren't for sell yet and the P85s are $20k out of my budget. I'm looking for a loaded 60 or 85 under $85k. Thanks!


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RUPA adds third act to Rutgersfest
For University students questioning why this year's Rutgersfest had only two performers when the Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA) announced the line up last month, don't worry — there is a third.
RUPA added YelaWolf, a rapper from Alabama signed under Eminem's Shady Records label, two weeks ago, said Jessica Bruno, RUPA vice president of concerts and coffeehouses. Before the addition, only rapper Pitbull and electronic artist 3OH!3 were slated to perform.
The decision to add a third act was never out of the question completely, said Bruno, a School of Arts and Sciences junior. The committee discovered YelaWolf and wanted to allocate more money to the concert to have him perform.
"We were actually looking through the budget and at the fact that Rutgersfest needed a little more umph," she said.
The committee also felt YelaWolf would appeal to both a different group of hip-hop lovers as well as the general University audience, Bruno said.
"I think he added to the lineup we already had," said Elise Powers, incoming RUPA vice president of concerts and coffeehouses.
While some students may not know who YelaWolf is, part of RUPA's goal with Rutgersfest is to showcase emerging artists, Bruno said.
Bruno said when Kanye West performed at the University years ago, he was not as famous as he is today. She and the rest of the RUPA committee believe YelaWolf is going to rise in fame as well.
YelaWolf's mixtape, "Trunk Muzik 0-60," was his first project with a major label and was released last November under Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment and Interscope Records. "Radioactive," his first full-length studio album, is scheduled to be released this summer.
The rapper also recently graced the cover of XXL magazine and sold out a concert this March at New York City's Highland Ballroom.
Aside from the emerging-artist quality, RUPA considered other factors when selecting and booking Rutgersfest artists — a difficult process that takes three to four months, Bruno said.
"It's a huge undertaking," said Matthew Johnson, RUPA vice president of public relations and marketing.
The committee conducts extensive research when picking an artist, Bruno said. They look at what artists are popular among students and check how well they interact at other college concerts, if they behave appropriately during shows, if they draw a large crowd and if they have a good reputation.
"Reputation's a big deal because we're representing Rutgers University," said Johnson, a Rutgers Business School senior.
Difficulties arise also because many artists do not want to play at colleges, some are not available on the day of Rutgersfest or they are too expensive to book, Johnson said, adding that the pricing for the artists RUPA booked this year is confidential.
If RUPA were to book a very famous artist, like Lady Gaga, RUPA would have to charge admission and only have that one performer, Bruno said.
She said this would not be ideal at a place like the University, where the students have a variety of musical tastes.
The decision to have a mostly hip-hop lineup this year, with no rock artist, was to appeal to a different group of students than last year, where the headlining act was rock band Brand New, Bruno said.
"For a student that would come in for four years, and go to four different Rutgersfests, they would expect to get four different types of acts," Johnson said.
Bruno said RUPA tries to appeal to a variety of tastes, but there is no way for the committee to please everyone.
Powers said RUPA did try to appeal to the University's rock audience with some of its other shows peppered throughout the year, like with September's Reel Big Fish and February's Circa Survive concert.
"The fact of the matter is not everyone listens to rock. Not everyone listens to hip-hop," Bruno said. "It's a catch-22."
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Targum.


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The Carmelite Library
Thursday, 19 May 2016
Creation Spirituality Symposium this month
The Carmelite Centre Melbourne May 2016
214 Richardson Street, Middle Park Vic 3206
Creation Spirituality Symposium with Keynote Speaker Professor Denis Edwards Thursday 26 - Saturday 28 May 2016
Care for all that Exists:
A Symposium on Creation Spirituality. The title of this year's Symposium is from the Pope's encyclical
Laudato Si
, a core summary of Saint Francis' Canticle.
The three day event involves a wide range of outstanding speakers on the theology and spirituality of Creation. The symposium is broad-ranging and includes scriptural, cosmological, scientific and activist interpretations.
Key Note Speaker:
Professor Denis Edwards
- Australian Catholic University, Adelaide.
You can book for ALL or PART of the Symposium
Thursday 26 May
2.00pm Welcome: Philip Harvey: Carmelite Librarian
Session One 2.30 – 4.00pm
Fr Ken Petersen, OCarm: Towards a Universal Communion: Meditation and Interreligious Dialogue
Dr Geoff Lacey: Towards Ecological Conversion: a response to Laudato Si'
Gabrielle Fogarty: Networking for Justice and Peace Part I
Session Two 4.30 – 6.00pm
Revd Dr Stephen Ames: Creation Spirituality and the Problem of Natural Evil
Dr Jan Morgan and Dr Graeme Garrett: Praying in the Anthropocene
Session Three 7.30- 9.30pm
Keynote Speaker: Prof Denis Edwards: Deep Incarnation: The Meaning of Incarnation for the Natural World
Friday 27 May
Session Four 9.30 – 11.00am
Fr David Hofman, OCarm: Lectio Divina-style Reflection based on a Genesis Creation Story
Barbara Daniel: "The Greening of the Self": On Joanna Macy
Dr Trevor Parton: The Dream of the Earth: How a more intimate relationship to the Earth suggests a New Cosmology
Gabrielle Fogarty: Networking for Justice and Peace Part II
Session Five 11.30am – 1.00pm
Dr Deborah Guess: God in All That Is: Panentheism as a Framework for Ecological Theology and Spirituality
Dr Mick Pope: All things bright and beautiful? Towards an aesthetic ecotheology
Session Six 2.30 – 4.00pm
Dr Lynne Reeder: Creation Spirituality through a Franciscan Lens: Interdependence, mysticism, science and the passion of creativity
Dr Anne Elvey: Creatures among creatures: Laudato Si' and beyond -- being human in a more than human world
Saturday 28 May
Session Seven 10.00am – 12 noon
Pia Pagotto: Retreat: A Call to Personal Ecological Conversion
You can book for ALL or PART of the Symposium
Read more.
Edit your subscription
The Carmelite Centre Melbourne
214 Richardson Street, Middle Park
Melbourne, Australia 3206
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One of the things I love about Nigeria is the variety of clothing that people can wear, men and women. These images from Jonathan's rally last Saturday, show some examples.
Jonathan's rally
Which does'impress you,the male or the female? you would like to dress in the Nigeria fashon one day, you do some time if , i can remember, but youb did not describe the one you have seen , is it strange, or you have known Nigerian dresses that way. infact we in Nigeriawe have varied way of dressing if you are in the west they wear agbada with a cap bended oneside or in the front, and women put on asoke, you must know how to tie a head gan. so it look funny,some of our dressing.ReplyDelete


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Baltimore Bed and Breakfast for Two
Enjoy superior service with a smile to start your day off right!
Whether you like to sleep in late or get an early start, you can count on a great breakfast when you reserve our Bed and Breakfast Package for Two at Radisson Hotel at Cross Keys, Baltimore.
Visit our cheerful Scoozi Restaurant, or stay in and order room service. Your package price includes a healthy start!Terms and Conditions
- Booking Start Date: February 9, 2018
- Booking End Date: December 31, 2019
- This rate is available for stays from February 9, 2018 to December 31, 2019.
- Please surrender breakfast coupons to server.
- Service and delivery fees not included for room service.


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Guaranteed Weight Loss in 8 days – No Exercise. You will lose weight while Sleeping as these remedies will increase metabolism.
Today, I have brought 2 Tried and Tested Tips for weight loss. Start your Weight Loss Regime by using any one of the tips. The last Tip is very very effective for massive weight loss.
Remedy 1
You will need
1 spoon black pepper powder
1 spoon Honey
Mix both of them and consume it any time during day. Just make sure you do not eat anything 30 minutes before after taking this
Follow this remedy daily for 1-2 months
Remedy 2
You will need
- Spinach leaves
First wash all leaves and now grind them with little bit of waetr
Now filter this, we need 1 cup of this water
Add juice of half lemon
Drink 1 cup of this 30 minutes before 2 main meals


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I think my favourite cartoon is of two golfers trudging down the fairway in the pouring rain who see a man fishing from a riverbank next to the course. "Look at that guy!" says one of the golfers. "I mean, what kind of idiot would be out in weather like this?"
Well, I would for a start. There are many categories of golfers, but as far as the weather is concerned they fall into one of two camps: you're either a fair weather golfer or, like me, you're beyond hope and you'll play in anything. In the former group are some of my walking buddies: Butch, Don, Brian and Mike, for example – all of whom, with the possible exception of Mike, are fine, upstanding and sane gentlemen who play their golf on a variety of local courses in the summer months and who put their clubs away once October arrives and the Wet Coast (sic) starts to live up to its name. The latter group consists of my Glacier Greens buddies, most of whom take the view that they've paid for their membership and so they're going to play come rain or shine. One or two, like Glennie, openly admit their preference for sunny skies overhead and firm footing underneath, but most of the rest are easily led and by the time they are absolutely soaked they can usually be persuaded to finish off the round. The phrase "Big Girl's Blouse" seems to work wonders in convincing the likes of Bud and Robin that their manhood will be called into question if they quit after nine holes.
So I have to admit I felt a little guilty yesterday when I looked out of the window at first light, saw teeming rain and decided I would give Men's morning a miss this week. As it happened it pretty much rained all day and I spent most of the daylight hours with my nose buried in a book. If I gave any thought to my playing partners it was to think "silly sods" before making myself another cup of tea and getting back to John Grisham.
Today it dawned bright and fine and I couldn't wait to get to the course. When I arrived at 8:00 I was surprised to see that the parking lot was virtually empty. Apparently nearly all of yesterday's silly sods had decided that they weren't going to risk getting soaked two days in a row and had decided to bail on Bruce's usual Sunday morning skins game. Luckily (or maybe unluckily) Stan the Man and Dave Buckley-Jones were waiting on the tenth tee and hailed me as I drove by. Lucky for me, because I would have headed for the first tee, forgetting that we switch nines at the start of December, but also unlucky because these two characters rejoice in giving me the gears from start to finish whenever we play together. Sure enough, Stan and Dave (or Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber as I prefer to call them) were in fine form and the insults soon started to flow: "Would you like to borrow some hipwaders?" asked Stan just as I was eyeing up a tricky shot across water on # 10. (Sure enough my approach shot sliced straight into the pond). "Try hitching up your pantie hose" was Dave's helpful advice after a particularly poor drive of mine on # 5. And so it went on – three guys using their three and a half hours together in the best possible way: golf and a non-stop barrage of insults. Stan is actually considering videotaping our next round together, although it should probably carry some kind of parental advisory warning concerning bad language and squishing of self esteem. Stan played well, Dave and I less so but were not unhappy – we'd agreed that low net would buy the coffee today, just for a change – and a good time was had by all. It was topped off by finding out in the clubhouse that Dave must have set some kind of record in yesterday's gale blown Men's morning: he shot 104 (yes – a hundred and flipping four) and won third low net in his flight! And they say all the prizes are won by sandbaggers…
All da best.
Bagger D..
(P.S. I'd also like to thank Dave for the sterling work he's doing increasing the width of the fairways at Glacier Greens: so many of his tee shots are bringing down branches from the trees on the left that every fairway on the course is gradually getting wider and wider!)