Innocent Until Proven Guilty.... I hope....

Let's talk about the US Justice System. I know that there are some variations state to state, but the overall premise that anyone accused of breaking the law is to be considered "innocent until proven guilty" seems to have been forgotten.  In this day and age of "real time" news, it seems to be increasingly difficult for the public to wait until an accused person is legally proven guilty by a jury of his or her peers.  This inability for our country's news hungry public to wait until the court and legal system to run its course may be driving the media to print, run, and rerun illegitimate hearsay and legally inadmissible evidence on the behalf of whoever is least culpable. 

  

It is a real sad state of affairs, in which the media is allowed to pre-convict, or in some cases erroneously prove innocent, a person who may or may not have conducted an illegal act no matter what that act may have been.  The job of conviction is always best left up to the legal system because there is so much in the balance.  Let's face it, someone's life and integrity will be decided by a jury of peers, strangers, people who are directed and expected to conduct themselves in a certain manner for the duration of the case.

If any of us has the opportunity to serve on a served on a jury, as I have, it really is a humbling eye opener and should not be assumed with a careless heart.  Legally convicting and at times, legally sentencing someone to a punishment that suits the crime is serious business. The system is not perfect and definitely has its faults, however the system is set up to protect the accused, also known as the defendant, not the prosecutor, accuser, ill treated, or the harmed. 

Casey Anthony was found INNOCENT in OUR judicial system, by a jury of her PEERS. So much for being found innocent in our society these days... the public venom still flows freely, and the hate for this woman that the media has developed is a shame and a sham. Good lies, bad story, innocent, or guilty... her life has been ruined, and that's that. No matter what is said or done, that poor kid will never come back.  It is a plain shame that our legal system allows for the media to slander someone before, during, and after a trial, under the guise of "Freedom of Speech".  

Conversely, Amanda Knox, the college student in Italy, was found GUILTY of murder in the ITALIAN judicial system. Its funny how we American’s can take the polar opposite view in this case based on the media’s reporting of contaminated and insufficient DNA evidence.  As a matter of fact, the Italian judicial system is very different from the US Judicial System, and so are the police, the lawyers, and the prison system.  However one thing that seems to have remained the same is the Medias involvement in swaying the public masses opinions on who is “Innocent” or who is “Guilty” before, during, and after a court case.

In any case, it is news when an event is happening; it is sensationalism when news people speculate and offer an opinion.  Be aware that if an opinion is offered by a reporter, the report is sensation, not balance and in no way fair and honest.  

When I stop and think about this whole argument/rant, I can only wonder who throws the most bull shit our way, Lawyers or Reporters. Rupert Murdock and his empire need to bask in their own spotlight for a while.

Campy Out!

Joke of the week!

A Homeless Man's Funeral

 

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. 

Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man.  He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back country.

 

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical

man, I didn't stop for directions.

 

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone

and the hearse was nowhere in sight.  There were only the diggers and crew

left and they were eating lunch.

 

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of

the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

 

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out

my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.
 

I played like I've never played before for this homeless man.

 

And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep.  

They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. 

Though my head hung low, my heart was full.

 

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, 

"I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for

twenty years."

 

Apparently I'm still lost.....  it's a man thing.....

(Thanks Skip!)

4000 hits!

Be nice to know who's hitting me from the Ukraine, Russia, and other places in Europe.  If it's "just" Tony... hey man thanks for the hits! 

I feel so cosmopolitan... at 0100 in the morning! 

Well time for bed folks and thanks for the hits! 

Will try to write something about Rupert Murdock, or Karzi's brother, or Betty Ford,
or ??? ... Tomorrow...

Campy Out!

My latest cold

I've got to tell you, getting a cold these days really stinks! Since I can't take decongestants, cough medicines, or antihistamines due to my Parkinson's medications I've been learning loads about home remedies and naturalistic medicines.  However, my latest cold started while I was on vacation for daughter Kelsi. The cold came and went over a couple days while we were driving up from Los Angeles. I thought I was just wimping out.

When we finally got home the full force of the virus set in smack dab in my right sinus. As the pressure built up inside my head and my headache at worse all I could think of was the last sinus infection I had over 25 years ago and how the ENT specialist trained my sinuses. And while I tried to run away from my face and tried to drain my head by any means available, I kept on thinking of how my sinuses "were drained" last time.

To make a long story short, (I know not my style) I have to say that on my second trip to the emergency room, this year, I did receive a much kinder and more gentle approach to draining my sinus. Previously I had been met with a bone crunching spinal needle to the nose, which was subsequently attached to a large syringe, and then my sinuses pressurized to what felt like that of a truck tire which forced all the infectious goo out of my sinuses and into my throat.

This year I was given big doses of a "big gun" anti-inflammatory known as methylprednisolone, Afrin nasal spray, and Dilauded another massive pain reliever. After about four hours at home,my nose started clearing up and I started draining rather thick goo rather quite painlessly at home. It's been five days since my emergency room visit and I'm feeling fine now.

This leads me to believe that the last doctor that treated me for a sinus infection, a result of a diving accident, was one of three things:
1. A graduate of some Middle Eastern medieval medical/torture center
2. Didn't graduated near the top of his class (no matter where he graduated)
3. Was very results vs outcomes based.
(The result was a clear sinus. The outcome was a very pissed off, bewildered, upset, and in pain patient who just happened to also have a clearing sinus.)

Please remember, that there is always a way to treat people humanely. 

Campy Out!

Ms Casey Anthony Trial

Casey Anthony has spent almost 3 years in jail, and has to live the rest of her life with what she may have done. Either way, no verdict will never bring back any kid, and that's just a shame.

On the other hand, those of us who were emotionally glued to this case on TV should also realize that the jury, as selected by both the prosecution and the defense teams, listened to everything that happened in the court room for the duration of the trial. Their decision was based on facts as presented by legal representation following accepted lawful processes, not third hand sensationalized media revelations.

Quite frankly, I could give two farts about this slanted entertainment based media crap.

This "lady" sounds like she was an immature, resentful, loser at one time. She has already lost much of her life, her humility, and most importantly her integrity and at such a young age.

As Civilized American's, let's not turn to the eye for an eye, or beheading, or torture like Islam's "Code of Hammurabi". I believe we should each spend more time actually doing something about what pisses us off, rather than getting more pissed off by watching it on television!!!

Campy Out!