coquina

Since the defendent has admitted to the crime, the trial process is completely different. I guess he might plead not guilty by reason of insanity, but if he pleads guilty, here are the statutes from the American Bar Association: http://www.abanet.org/crimjust/standards/guiltypleas_blk.html#1.1 Pedofiles are one of the groups of people who are thought to be incapable rehabilitation. Maybe the guy realizes that and knows that the only way he won't act again is if he is behind bars. At any rate - if he pleads guilty, the lawyers won't be trying to "get him off". They may attempt to get him a plea bargain of life without parole in exchange for a guilty plea.

In high school advanced biology, we had to dissect a cat. We had lab exams, and I had to take it home with me on the bus so I could study it. No one would sit with me - then, when I got it home, mom wouldn't allow it in the house, so I was outside on the porch in the dead of winter. (Paid off - I got an "A"). When I took biology, we also had to "pith" a frog for a live dissection. I dislike killing things, so reluctantly, the bio prof agreed to do it for me. It hopped out of his hands and took off across the floor, to my squeals of "Go, froggy, Go!" It squeezed in behind a built in lab cabinet from whence it could not be dislodged. The prof looked at me and said, "that thing's going to die in here and stink up the whole class." I saw him a few months ago and he still remembers the episode, we both got a good laugh from it.

Would you describe that one as acccurate? Have you read any of McPhee's books?

Our law states that everyone is entitled to a fair trial and that if they can't afford a lawyer, the court will appoint one for them. If this man has admitted guilt, a large portion of the trial process will be eliminated. However, if he didn't, and if every lawyer refused to represent him, he could not be tried and he would be set free. I'm no big fan of lawyers, but there have to be public defenders. Suppose someone was murdered and you just happened to walk around the corner and instant later, and the person who committed the crime had disappeared. At the same time you come into view, several witnesses exit through a store across the street. They see you and the victim, and no one else. It is going to be assumed that you committed the murder, and you are going to need a good lawyer...even if you can't afford one. You are upset right now, and rightfully so. However, it is easy for someone to come to the wrong conclusion. That is why lynch mobs are a bad idea.

http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/What_is_a_sociopath Sociopath is the clinical name for this type of individual. It comes in all manner of extremes. The case you cited is certainly one of them. To me, Scott Peterson fits the definition even more so. He not only killed his wife and unborn son, he called Amber Fry and pretended to be in Paris, while a service was being held for his missing wife. The most dangerous thing about them is that they are so ordinary. They do not look like monsters or act unusual under everyday circumstances, they are very good actors, but in fact, they have no feeling or regard for anyone but themselves. The only regret they ever feel is if they get caught. They are wired so differently from the average human, that we have no conception of how they function. Actually, I think a better analogy would be "short circuited". Something in their brain is fried and there is no way to put it right. I think there should be a special category of institutionalization for this type of person. IMHO, Sociopaths are criminally insane, and I don't think they should be mixed in with the general criminal population, because at least some of those people have the chance of rehabilitation. Exposing them to sociopaths can't be beneficial. Neither do I think someone diagnosed as a sociopath should ever, ever, have a snowball's chance in hell of getting out. Should they be subject to capital punishment? If they have been convicted on the basis of substantial evidence (ie several people witnessed the crime, there is DNA, gunshot, ballistics, etc that supports it) I believe so. If they have been convicted on circumstantial evidence, I say no.

If the above statement is true, than there must be some means by which she can communicate her wishes. If she can't it should be her husband's decision. Who knows - if the feeding tube is withdrawn, perhaps hunger will cause her to wake up, if, indeed she is not in a true vegetative state. You know - I just thought of something. They implant microchips in dogs so that the owner can be notified if the dog is missing. Why can't people (at their own request) have microchips inserted that would be coded to a living will? That way, no one else has to make the decision for you. It could be backed up by taking a finger print of the person and comparing it to one on file to make sure no mistakes were made.

The idea that China and Russia are staging a joint military exercise, regardless of where they have it raises the hair on the back of my neck. If they form a major alliance, they control almost all of Asia and part of Europe. They also control a huge number of container ports world wide, including the ones at either end of the Panama Canal. IMHO, when the Bear allies itself with the Tiger, it is a major concern for the rest of the world. Right after the Soviet Union fell - it was my concern that the Chinese would attempt to overpower them while they were in disarray. Now it would seem they are about to "kiss and make up". I do not think this bodes well for us in any way, shape or fashion.

Matt Drudge might not be the most likable person in the world, but he's usually accurate: http://www.drudgereport.com/flash3rc.htm

On one hand, time passes whether humans or other organisms capable of understanding the passage of time, perceive it or not. But let's just take one example.... Let's arbitrarily say that time began with "Adam and Eve" - I'm not being religious here - just using and example to which most people can relate. Adam had a time line - Eve had a time line - there children are born, and their time line begins at rays between theirs - a little further away from the origin. (Think "family tree" that continues on and on and gets more branches). As time goes on, a "time web" develops as people from different rays have offspring, which connect the rays together. Of course, we know that time continues in the spaces between too - so maybe a way to picture it is as though a spigot was turned on over a perfectly flat plate. The fluid coming out of the spigot would form a sheet of water that flows in all directions at once, and it would keep on flowing until the spigot ran out of fluid or it malfunctioned, or someone or something cut it off.

I have a machine shop - we use milling machines, lathes, drill presses and grinders to remove metal. "Fab shops" or "Sheet metal" shops do more in the way of shearing, bending and welding. Foundries make castings from molds. Often community colleges have courses in the basics.

Sandi, 55, none

1. Some people don't "get" math unless the reasoning behind it is explained step by step. 2. In the real world, payment is broken down into interest and principle month by month and the totals are posted to each account. If you make an "amortization schedule" as I did above, you just go to the proper month and break down your post accordingly. 3. If you're going to post a formula, then explain what each part of it represents.

Perhaps a "Hissy Fits" should be created so those who are bent on arguing with each other without regard to the subject of the thread can do it elsewhere?

Don't forget him - Check out this page: http://library.thinkquest.org/C005921/prevmodel.htm under "Modern Times".

..of when life begins. This works for me.

I don't remember the author, but I do remember the time. I think it was in 1982 that the prime interest rate just about doubled in the course of a year. I had a long term contract and a credit line of prime +2% - had a bunch of money borrowed against the contract and the company went backrupt on me. I ended up paying 22.5%. Now, why did you have to go and remind me about that???

The CEO's of American companies are paid much, much higher salaries than the top paid working employees. I do not understand how one person can benefit a company so much that s/he is genuinely worth $16.6 mil.

It helps - and if you happen to be born with healthy genes, so much the better. However, a lot of people have genes that predispose them to some problems - ie cholesterol. Mine is still high even though for the past 2 years I have eaten a diet extraordinarily low in saturated or animal fat, and exercised regularly. My doctor tells me the condition is hereditary. Since I am also highly allergic to the cholesterol lowering drugs now available, I hope the pharmaceutical companies develop something else soon.

One thing to bear in mind is that years of testing is required before a drug ever goes to market, and for one drug that does there are probably a dozen that don't. Years of testing was performed, but in the end the drug proved to be dangerous or ineffective. Some how the drug company has to be repaid for that expense. There is very little time before a "generic" drug hits the market.... a drug that has the same chemical components which were derived by analizing the original drug. The company can sell it cheap because it didn't put any money into R&D. In industry, you could compare the original IBM PC to PC clones. It took IBM years to develop the technology to bring out the PC, but once it was on the market, and the components were available to be purchased, clones could be built for a fraction of the cost. If you want technology and innovation, you have to pay for R&D, and the only way to reimburse the investors, is to get the money back while you can.

Just a reminder, and I'm not zinging you, rakeuenso, - some sources are legit., but just because something has been published or there is a web page about it doesn't mean it should be taken for "gospel". One needs to check the veracity of the source.

How can it be expected that governments act with civility, when individuals don't?