RedStateEclectic

The Garden of Forking Paths

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”

    Jorge Luis Borges

Find more of Borges at The Garden of Forking Paths.

  

Almost…

I’ve had a busy couple of weeks, and the busyness doesn’t promise to get a lot better anytime in the next 2 months.  Wedding plans for my daughter (and bridal showers), political activism, working for a candidate, trying to help organize Paul supporters in the state, teaching two classes…the bottom line is, that I’m juggling more things than I really should be.

Then 2 weeks ago, I got a summons for jury notice.  I knew I was in the potential pool, but also knew that it’s somewhat unusual for cases in the county court to actually go to trial—pleas are negotiated for most of the lesser crimes in our courts, it would seem.  So, when my summons said “call the day before you are to appear to confirm that you will still be needed”, I kind of assumed I’d call, and be told “never mind.”

Nope.  The response to my call was “the trial is on, we’ll need you to appear.”  Hmmm.

I’ve never served on a jury before, and in spite of having a father who is an attorney (as well as a sister), my experience inside of courtrooms has been limited to the annual GOP County Convention in our county, which is often held in one of the courtrooms (not the one where the trial is being held), and a few runs at the County Spelling Contest when I was in elementary school and junior high, when the contests were held in the courtroom.

Apparently they call a goodly portion of the pool in for the trials.  I reported in at 8:20 (“appear at or before 8:30 a.m.” ) and sat in a small room with about 30 of my fellow poolmates. There were another 30 or so who apparently had taken a seat in the courtroom.  When the time came, we were ushered into the courtroom, and given general instructions about what was going to happen, and sworn in as part of the pool.

And then came the selection.  It was really based on a lottery, and they drew 24 names out of the total pool.  My name was drawn 11th.  After they got the 24 selected, voir dire happened—in other words, the attorneys attempted to determine what biases the prospective jurors might have.  And then, each attorney was able to “challenge” (i.e., dismiss for whatever reason they wanted) 6 jurors, taking the total down to 12.

They didn’t tell us in what order we were challenged—the list was read as a group of people who were excused, although the order that the judge read wasn’t alphabetical, so if it was in the order challenged, I was deleted from the jury somewhere around 6th or 7th.  I didn’t track it well, so I’m not sure whether the prosecution or the defense challenged my seating as a juror.

The particular case that was being heard didn’t appear to me to be one that would last too long, nor was it exactly a high stakes case.  But if I were an attorney—either for the prosecution or the defense—and had done a little bit of research on the prospective jurors, I suppose I might have dismissed me, as well.  They knew that I taught political science (I was asked, by the defense attorney, who apparently already knew); and a simple google search of my name would show me as a Republican (“law and order”?) but also as a libertarian (civil liberties?); and my status as a political scientist could mean anything, I suppose.  I’m middle aged, and well-educated.  At its core, I suppose if I were an attorney, I’d be a little unsure about what Juror #11 might be thinking.

So, I missed my chance at being a juror, but I’ve got great new insight into the process that I can share with my American Government classes when we talk about the Constitution and the Judiciary in the future.  And who knows?  Maybe I’ll get another chance—I think I’m in the pool for the rest of the year.

LLE

Lucky, Fawn, Martingale, and Stockman

Before ushering you to some weekend reading at the bottom of the post, some light personal news.

I had a perfect Saturday, collecting Lucky early in the afternoon to take him for a two hour tour of the wilderness. Just before we were going to return to the civilised world, a man turned up with a beautiful she-dog. Lucky had fun with black beauty Lola for another two hours, while I joined our new companion on his search for a ditched glider. Mysteriously, yet reassuringly, there was a note on the glider to the effect that the pilots had decided to land so as to have a drink in the pub of a nearby village.

There was one thing, however, that made me feel very sad. Lucky ferreted out a dead fawn, probably the victim of an unusually cold night yesterday. Once again, Lucky proved an excellent tracking dog and pointer with no interest in actually killing game. I observed carefully how he approached what turned out a dead fawn. Once again, Lucky remained perfectly obedient to me in the face of game alive or dead. He would be the ideal dog for a hunter who does not want his dog to interfere with the killing job or the prey.

However, the sight of the perished mini deer, so beautiful and cute (probably only a few days old), did make me feel really awful for a while.

Life goes on.

For a weekend read, try this on Martingale, and this by David Stockman.

PS

While Lucky was right with his prediction that my home team would suffer relegation from the first German soccer division this year, I am glad to report:

Hurrah, Borussia Dortmund, who have snatched the German soccer championship for the second consecutive year from Bayern München, look like defeating Bayern again decisively, in the final of the German Football Federation Cup. This being a most remarkable fifth consecutive win over Bayern, who in their turn have made it to the final of the European Champions League, where they face the English team of Chelsea.

My Newfound Drink

While my curiosity isn't enough to kill a cat, it can be piqued on occasion, well below the level of feline expiration. So it is that I found myself in downtown Aiken at a store called, ironically, The Curiosity Shop.

This store is neat. It's one of the few places where one can enter and have tea and scones, sample European food products, peruse bookshelves, clothing racks, and displays of various and sundry household items not normally chanced upon within the big-box stores. It is here that I bought my copy of 'For a New Liberty', by Murray Rothbard. Just the other day, I witnessed a young lad purchasing a Guy Fawkes mask and, if ever one needed to please an anglophile's lust for 'Dr. Who' merchandise, you need go no farther. Also, if of Scottish heritage, you will find popular Highland wear available in your clan's woven pattern.

On one particular venture, the kids and I were in need of refreshment. While they decided upon their crème soda, birch beer, or cherry-flavored Tango, I zeroed in on something called Kombucha - a kind of fermented sweet tea. I've never tried it but it sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a whirl. Upon opening the cap, one discovers a strong hint of vinegar, but the taste is that of a tangy, weak, sweet/sour Champaign that is very refreshing indeed. It has a slight effervescence and traces of alcohol: two pluses in my book. Being low in carbs as well, I had stumbled upon an instant winner; this is even before I looked at the other benefits.

Within this elixir one can expect to find a goodly portion of enzymes and probiotics, as well as 25% of one's daily intake of Folic Acid, and 20% of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12, as well as stuff heretofore unknown to me listed below:

• 100 mg of EGCG: A potent antioxidant.
• 10 mg of Glucuronic Acid: Helps the body in making vitamin c, as well as a detox agent and liver cleanser. Also helps in regulating hormones.
• 30 mg of Acetic Acid: Helpful in controlling Insulin and blood sugar.

That's quite a drink! And to think… I now have even more reason to visit my favorite store in town. However, due to its acidity and price, it will never be more than an occasional indulgence. But there’s always the crème soda…

Good Morning, Copenhagen

Or is this taking place at some other time of the day? How cold it must have been, only a month ago.

 

Crepuscular Rays

Still weak and wobbly from a cold, I draw strength from Telemann's music.

 

Just For Fun…

Google the word: Askew

or

Google: "Do a barrel roll"

This one is really good:

Type "illuminati" backwards and add .com to your address bar.

The More Things Change…

“You are in the process of being indoctrinated. We have not yet evolved a system of education that is not a system of indoctrination. We are sorry, but it is the best we can do. What you are being taught here is an amalgam of current prejudice and the choices of this particular culture. The slightest look at history will show how impermanent these must be. You are being taught by people who have been able to accommodate themselves to a regime of thought laid down by their predecessors. It is a self-perpetuating system. Those of you who are more robust and individual than others, will be encouraged to leave and find ways of educating yourself - educating your own judgment. Those that stay must remember, always and all the time, that they are being molded and patterned to fit into the narrow and particular needs of this society.” ~ Doris Lessing

R.I.P. Dick Clark

I’m of the age to remember Bandstand on Saturday mornings—about noon, as the teenagers were crawling out of bed, and the younger kids were leaving the TV because the Saturday morning cartoons were over.

Rest in Peace, Dick Clark.  You helped make growing up in the 60s and 70s something worth reminiscing about.

Glenn Beck: How do Warren Buffett and Sen. Ben Nelson benefit from the White House killing the Keystone pipeline?

Now Glenn Beck is on it.

Readers of the RedStateEclectic first read about my rant in regard to the Keystone Pipeline one year ago, here and here. In those blog posts I also discuss the Warren Buffett connections. (Joe Herring at American Thinker picked up on the story from here last fall too.)

Now, Glenn Beck is all over this. It's about time. All Aboard, Glenn!

h/t ZeroHedge

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