Monday, December 31, 2007

Man I feel old!

I remember being a teenager and I couldn't wait to be 21 on New Year's Eve so I could go out and legally do what I wanted and stay out as late as I wanted without being grounded...



This year I am sad to inform you that I will be sleeping as the clock turns over to 2008. I worked today, I have no money and sleep is just more appealing at this point in my life.



But nonetheless I want to wish you a Happy New Year...Maybe I will post a few resolutions tomorrow that I won't keep past the first week.

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!



Remember the real reason for the day...

Saturday, December 22, 2007

May the force be with you....


So we have added a little Jedi Warrior to our house. Santa came early on Thursday night because he didn't want the new puppy for the Squirrel (on crack after 4 or 5 espressos) to get cold in the sleigh. Awww... So cute and cuddly and LOUD! He seems to be a Border Collie mix with small feet. They...errr....I mean Santa said he would only get to be maybe 30-35 lbs.

He is pictured here with a full belly after a hard morning of playing with Squirrel. We only let him sleep a few times and only about 15-30 minutes at a time. Last night his day and night hours where a little mixed up.

He is not fond of being alone. Oh and you know it! Tonight he only barked for a half hour before falling asleep.

Smart little sucker he is alright.

We have decided to go the age old route of Kennel training simply to save the carpets when we are not home or sleeping. He is only 12 weeks old. As he watches the other dogs he has figured out (for the most part) piddling outside. Of course he is what I call an excited piddler. When he gets too excited or happy he piddles a little on the floor but he tries to stop himself at least. On the other hand we will be VERY EXCITED when the "yard bombs" are actually outside in the yard and not in my bathroom, the hallway, the bedroom... well you get the picture.

We are anxious to get past this part of the potty training...house breaking....or whatever you call it so he can start sleeping with the Squirrel at night. The cat is actually still bigger than him at this point. Right now he is just too "leaky" and well he decides to play at night and actually tried to nurse on my sister's earlobes while she was sleeping...briefly sleeping at that point :o)

Puppy surprise at Christmas time sounded like such a good idea but of course the youngest dog I have ever had was a fully trained 2 1/2 year old lab. Well at least we have the next several days to work on this training thing.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Let it snow let it snow.....


The snow is deep, 7 inches I believe, but we have not seen a snowplow yet on our road. Mr. X from this blog did come over and use the snowblower to dig us out so we could at least open the doors that had been blown shut.

Mr. X had to use the snowblower (by blowing a path) to get across the street.

Mom and Beau just called from the south and she was "upset" because it would not hit the 80 degree mark today....Mom who????

This is one of those times when I wish I still had the 4x4 Blazer that was totaled while parked on the street.

A snow emergency has shut down most of the city so today I hope to curl up in a blanket with some coffee and watch some movies on Lifetime.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

For some reason I am really torn on this issue....

Corcoran plea deal on trial in Chicago

By Rebecca S. Green

CHICAGO – Nothing was typical about the case of convicted quadruple-murderer Joseph E. Corcoran, but whether a plea offer made by the then-Allen County prosecutor was appropriate is now a matter to be decided by a federal appellate court.

Monday afternoon, Indiana Deputy Attorney General James Martin argued that Allen County Prosecutor Robert Gevers’ offer to withdraw the death penalty during plea negotiations was within his prosecutorial discretion.

Even if that offer came with the caveat that Corcoran give up his right to a jury trial and allow a judge to decide his fate.

A three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago took up the case after Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter appealed a ruling by a federal judge overturning the death penalty, saying Gevers’ offer violated Corcoran’s constitutional rights.

The federal judge’s ruling was the latest step in years of wrangling over Corcoran’s death sentence after he was convicted of murdering his brother, his sister’s fiancĂ© and two of his brother’s friends in July 1997.

Both sides had 30 minutes to present their arguments Monday, and as they spoke, the three judges – William J. Bauer, Ann Claire Williams and Diane Sykes – questioned the lawyers on their interpretations of the law and their arguments.

Gevers’ offer to withdraw the death penalty in exchange for a bench trial instead of a jury trial was no different than any other negotiation common when both sides try to hammer out plea agreements, Martin argued.

“So what was the actual harm to Corcoran by this offer,” Judge Williams asked Martin.

“There was none, your honor,” Martin replied, adding that had a judge decided his case, Corcoran could have been acquitted and escaped the death penalty in that way as well.

But Williams pushed Martin a bit on the issue, asking whether there is a limit to what constitutional rights prosecutors can get defendants to bargain away, even the right to a lawyer or the right against self-incrimination.

Missouri-based attorney Larry Komp, arguing for Corcoran as his court-appointed counsel, said Corcoran should not be penalized for exercising his right to a jury trial.

But Judge Bauer seemed to disagree.

“To say you can’t piecemeal (plea agreements) is to fly in the face of what’s been going on in every (negotiation) in the history of plea bargains,” Bauer said. “What case says you can’t do that?”

Williams again asked how Corcoran was harmed by Gevers’ offer and asked whether following Komp’s argument could lead all prosecutors to forgo seeking plea agreements.

Also at issue before the appellate court is whether Corcoran was competent to waive his rights to have a judge re-evaluate his sentence – a process known as post-conviction relief.

The federal judge upheld an earlier ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court that found Corcoran made a rational choice when he decided not to seek such a review.

Komp said three medical experts found Corcoran suffered from delusions, possibly paranoid schizophrenia.

When Corcoran waived his right to have a judge re-evaluate his sentence, saying he believed execution was an appropriate punishment for the murders of four people, Corcoran was trying to end his own agony.

But Martin argued that the doctors who evaluated Corcoran believed he understood what the process involved and what the consequence would be if he decided not to pursue it.

There is no time frame for the federal judges to issue a ruling, which could come in as little as a few days or take as long as a year.

End of article


First off let me tell you this....he IS crazy! He has since come out and admitted to killing his own parents in 1992, a crime of which he was acquitted. Without outing myself too much here I can tell you that I went to High School with him in a small northern town. He was one of those kids that you either hung with him or you avoided him at all costs...he wasn't violent, just strange. There was something about him that made you stay away from him because he was "different" or dark if you will.

Now don't get me wrong we had our own little small town version of hierarchy of Goth/Punk/Stoner/Preppy/Jock/Geeks etc. But Joe was different and everyone knew it.

I think he was a young teen when he "accidentally" shot a friend in the leg (grazing it) while they were hunting. No charges on this one because the friend said it was an accident as well.

I don't know about all the legal wrangling that has gone on in the last 10 years since this conviction or even what has happened in his life since the acquittal of murdering both his parents and then going to school like nothing happened. I waver back and forth on the death penalty in general because I don't believe it is applied fairly or evenly in this country. Yes some cases deserve it...but is it right to let the State take a life? I was upset about the no smoking thing because I didn't like the government having that much control. I no longer smoke and I did love being able to go out and not smell like an ashtray when I came home but it just seems...intrusive. I don't like that some people are told at their place of employment to say "Happy Holidays" and are forbidden from saying "Merry Christmas".

I have never intended this blog to political in any way...I just have some fundamental concepts in my life that I have been reevaluating for the last ...oh.... 5 years or so. Being unemployed for so long left me with time to think about some things.

However I am going to be starting the training for the new job this week...I am excited and well beyond ready to get this going!

2 posts in one weekend! Must be a record of some sorts for me lately.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

The Princess Bride



This movie was released 20 years ago? Could it really be that long ago? I remember seeing it when it was released in ...gulp....1987.


I still to this day think it is one of my favorite movies ever. In fact I just sat in my bedroom and exchanged quotes with my sister...does that make me a geek?



Well then I guess I am OK with that because it will forever be one of my favorites. It helps me connect with my silly side and the hope that true love does exist. I know it takes work but I know there are true gentlemen out there amongst the Prince Humperdinks of the world.