Well, geez, I was typing away and then Flo picked up and moved without telling me when I tried to post.
Here's what I was typing:
Afternoon, everyone.
Steve, I know the crime problem, especially property crimes, is really out of control in the UK. I attended a seminar with a Metropolitan Police officer and was surprised to learn that an English homeowner, even if armed with a legal weapon, could only use it in self defense if his or someone else's life was in imminent danger of death. In the US, the stardard is a reasonable fear of imminent serious physical harm or death. Most states have codified that an intruder in your home is sufficient to fulfill that requirement. Apparently, you just have to call the police if someone breaks into your home in the UK, unless the intruder is both armed with some type of weapon and threatens to kill you. I guess you could slug him one, but you can't shoot him. No wonder property crime is on the rise. The system is not working in the UK, and more and more police are armed. I noticed that all UK police officers were issued tasers in 2007 for non-lethal defense. Seems like it would be reasonable if a homeowner had the same right.
Chris and Mikey, I think you both need to get your meds changed.
Jeffrey, no death penalty in the UK, so cement overshoes are not an option. The only choice is to build more prisons and start giving longer sentences or let the country continue to deteriorate.
Matt, you guys have really been hammered this winter. At least you have a snowblower. When I was your age in Cleveland, I was the snowblower...me and my coal shovel. Man, I still some frostbite scars from those times.
Rybcon, sorry about the plumbing. Those kind of things always seem to happen in the middle of the night. I like Bob's idea about getting eyeballs painted on your eyelids.
Phillip, I hope your wife has a nice and trouble-free time in Florida. It's comforting knowing she at least won't be near Chris.
Rex. my jury summons siad to call and tell them if I had any disabilities, so I did. I kind of doubt that will make any difference, since our courtrooms don't even use any sound amlification equipment, like mikes for the judge and witnesses. I actually did get on one civil jury. It was a property line dispute between two vineyards. The overlap was only about 10 feet, but it was about 700 feet long and capable of growing about a hundred grand of wine grapes per year. After three incredibly boring days of listening to surveyors review every survey ever done, back to the 1870's, the judge told us the morning of the fourth day that the parties had settled and we could all go home now.
This was back when I was making $120 an hour as a consultant and got paid $5 a day to sit on that dumb jury. That's about 10 sound equipped engines I'm never going to get to buy.
I think we broke our record of having two snows in one winter, since we officially got a trace of snow here. It was mostly rain but did snow for about an hour. It's clearing out now, with a temperature of 47, going down in the 20's tonight. Looks like next Tuesday could be a repeat, although with more snow this time. This seems like the winter that will never end.
