Ok, first things first. Sexual Exploitation of a minor is a terrible, terrible crime. It’s my opinion that the ramifications for this offense are severe. In my opinion, your second conviction for a sexual crime against a minor warrants life in prison.
All of a sudden this case from the AP comes to light. This guy sexually assaulted 3 girls over 2 years. Horrible? Yes. Four thousand and sixty years in prison is what the judge and jury decided.
Call me crazy, but that’s a bit excessive. A life sentence is a life sentence. Whether it’s 60 years or 100 years, a person even of 20 years of age with a 60 year sentence may very well die in prison. Depending on the crime, that’s fine with me.
But this 4,060 year thing bothers me. He was actually sentenced to that time frame. What if, just what if, something happened in the next 40 years that granted immortality to some people. It costs $19,000 per year to house an inmate in a US prison. Say, just say, he gets some potion in that grants him immortality. Multiply $19,000 x 4,000 years and you’re getting a figure approaching $100,000,000 - at the current value - to keep this inmate alive and well for his stay.
Why not save the money and just execute these people? That’s a definite, legal argument. In my eyes, why not just sentence them to 100 years in prison, and call it a day. That way they’re either too old to live or too old to move, and surely too old to fuck, so all is ok.
On my recent trip to Pennsylvania, I noticed billboard after billboard as I left (and returned) New York that listed the penalties for bringing fireworks into NY from legal purchase in Pennsylvania. The signs went on to describe how it’s a “big deal”, and will result in fine, imprisonment, or suspension of your license as well as loss of your vehicle.
This New York Times article explains the process; people from NJ and NY drive to PA to buy legal fireworks because they are not PA residents. Yes, that is correct - if you are a resident of PA, you can not buy fireworks legally in PA. But if you are from out-of-state, then you’re able to buy whatever you want—but it is illegal to transport those fireworks back across state lines to NY or NJ. Allegedly, NJ and NY State Police are watching and waiting.
When is enough, enough? In the United States, the majority of states allow the sale and use of fireworks, as you can see by this PDF graphic. Mainly, the Northeast remains steadfast—the majority of northeastern states prohibiting all fireworks to those without a commercial permit.
Ultimately, what is the point of that? I can walk into Wallmart and in a few hours, get a shotgun. Yet, I can’t buy fireworks in this state. I have to go to PA, and then be subject to arrest when bringing the fireworks back here to NY.
Hey, here’s an idea!! In New York, make the sale of fireworks legal from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and have these fireworks subject to the local sales tax rate. State gets much needed tax money, people get their fireworks to celebrate July 4th in style without having to drive 100 miles to PA. Everyone wins.
It’s no secret that I love beer. In fact, aside from water, it’s my favorite beverage. In college sure, we used to drink shit beer to get wrecked. Those days are long over. Err, well I mean I no longer drink shit beer to get wrecked. I drink good beer, get a healthy buzz, and call it a night.
On my recent trip to Hershey PA, Patty and I decided to make our way down to my old stomping ground, the University of Delaware. There, plenty of nice restaurants and bars, but one in particular always makes me smile. The Iron Hill Brewery in Newark is one of the finest restaurants from a food standpoint. In addition, all of their beer - brewed on the premises - is fantastic. I drank a few while I was there, and took three 64oz jugs to go, one of which - the Vienna Red Lager - I am currently consuming.
Iron Hill Brewery has 7 locations around Delaware and SE Pennsylvania, including the Newark, Delaware location. I highly recommend a visit to any of them.
Parents!! If you’re son or daughter goes to the U of Delaware, or they are thinking of going there, I highly recommend stopping in the Iron Hill Brewery for a meal and/or a beer. It’s well worth the trip.
Cheers.
You can visit the Iron Hill Brewery online at their webpage by clicking here: Iron Hill Brewery.
So, me and the girlfriend got tickets to see the Dave Matthews Band in Hershey Park, Pennsylvania. We went there in 2005 and loved it, so when we heard he was coming back there, we decided to get tickets. So, off we went–route 78 West to Harrisburg, and then after checking into the Marriott, off to Hershey Park Stadium for the concert.
This concert was fantastic. It was like 3 acts in one. Why, you ask? Well for one, we were lucky enough to have The Black Crowes open up for Dave Matthews. We love them, so having them open on the same ticket was like a bonus. The Black Crowes played from about 7:05 until 8, and then Dave and company came on around 8:30 and played until nearly 11:45pm.
In addition, Time Reynolds played the entire show with the band, and for me, that’s a huge treat and something I hadn’t experienced before. The “Dave and Tim” shows are some of the best accoustic rock/folk around.
All in all, it was one of the better shows we have seen. We’re not die-hards….we have jobs and responsibilities and funds that are not unlimited, so we’re lucky if we can see two to three shows a year, much less two to three shows per week like some people. This being said, aside from thinking my car was stolen since we couldn’t find it after the show - and neither of us had a drop of alcohol mind you - and taking over an hour to get out of the parking lot, the show was fantastic.
And to boot, www.dreamingtree.org lets you download the show from the people that recorded it, as DMB is one of the bands that encourage the recording of their live shows.
The world has lost one of its best comedians. George Carlin, the satirical and wonderfully entertaining individual is gone. Entertaining millions for five decades, George Carlin was my favorite comedian. His way of enlightening people and entertaining at the same time, was truly amazing. He made you think. He made you laugh. And he made you think again. From his rants on Corporate America to Religion, to the simple phrases and words we all used every day, George was entertaining from start to finish.
George Carlin was the king of one-liner thoughts that really made you think! Here, check out this list. Amazing stuff!!
I had seen Carlin 6 or 7 times in the last 10 years, the most recent in May of 2007. He looked noticeably more frail than the year before, and I knew his time was limited. I didn’t think he would have gone this quick, though. None the less, Heaven - if it exists - and Carlin would say it doesn’t, is now a funnier place.
For now, and hopefully not forever, bye George. You were not one of the greatest—you were the greatest. Enjoy the ride.
Well, I’m back again. My blog here has sat for just over a year, with no new posts. A lot of readers, but no new content. I really didn’t stop writing for no other reason that lack of time. A lot has happened in the last year…but I’m not going to rehash any of what we already know.
I’m back because I always used my blog to write about things I’m passionate about, whether it’s politics, the environment, transportation, computers, or whatever. Today, I’m writing about how the Wilpons - owners of the NY Mets - handled the firing of Willie Randolph.
The Wilpons should be ashamed of themselves. Firing Willie in the middle of the night on the west coast to avoid the NY media for a day, the Wilpons made a joke out of the Mets, out of Willie, and out of the fans. It left such distaste in my mouth, after this classless, classless act.
Willie—you’ll go on to bigger and better management jobs. Good luck to you.
I love beer. Really, I do. I drink much less of it than I used to, but then again, I used to drink beer to get drunk. Now, I drink beer for the taste. I rarely get drunk anymore. I’m all about the good beers now, no Natural Light or Meister Brau bullshit.
This week is American Craft Beer Week. In their list of “top 24″, they actually have some of my favorites. Some of my favorites not on the list: Guiness Draught, Brooklyn Pennant Ale, and Blue Point Blueberry Ale.
Ah well, I’m sitting here actually sipping a Corona at the moment for lack of any better beer in the house. None the less, as I look at the list of great beers I’m getting more and more thirsty, so I must bring this blog entry to a close.
So by now you have heard that John Schneider’s 1969 Dodge Charger - one of the many “General Lee’s” out there - was up for sale on eBay. Bids were coming in at several million dollars, until one guy bid $10 million for it. There’s a funny thing about bidding. You can sort of just yell out whatever the hell it is you want, and then you win, assuming no one out bids you. That’s what this guy did, and now according to TMZ, he can’t pay.
First of all, even as a huge fan of the Dukes of Hazzard, a 1969 Dodge Charger - even with the 440 and signed by John Schneider isn’t even worth a million, in my opinion. This is what you do. Go on eBay, and spend $30,000 for a 1969 Dodge Charger in excellent condition. Then, repaint the fucker, spend another $10,000 for a great engine, and boom, you have yourself a General Lee for less than $50,000. Then, you can drive it to the annual Hazzard event in Georgia, and get it signed by the cast. Problem solved. Saved just under $10 million.
I don’t care if you like her or don’t like her, you’ve heard by now that she’s going to jail. I think this will be a good dose of reality for her. To see what the rest of society is like. To see what a jail cell might be like. To see just how far that holier-than-tho attitude of hers will get her. Damn, it’s going to be an interesting 45 days, isn’t it? Sadly, this is going to make her even more popular - isn’t that just the best irony? I’m sure some of you might want to write to her, so now is your chance! Send all correspondence to:
Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF)
Inmate Mailing Address:
Inmate name and Booking Number: Paris Hilton, 9424185
11705 S. Alameda St.
Lynwood, Ca. 90262
Note: This information provided by Sqwable, one of my favorite things to read lately.
