Run For the Roses

Today is Derby Day. For Kentuckians this is the first day of summer and beginning of the barbeque season. By thirty minutes before post time, in Kentucky the stores and streets are disserted as people are milling around parties before television sets.

Evie and I continue to carry forward the impact of living in Kentucky. Every year since we have been married we have celebrated Derby Day. We plan our meals and day around the event. We sit look at the ungodly hats and pick a horse or two to cheer (one of the favorites and one not so favored). I am pulling Noviz Like Shobiz and Imawildandcrazyguy (what a name). And when the University of Louisville band plays “My Old Kentucky Home” our heart is stirred.

Happy Derby Day to one and all.

Justice?

A gentleman in Washington DC is suing small business in the District for $65 million over a pair of pants. Roy Pearson is pressing his case against the Chungs who are Korean immigrants and operate a dry-cleaning business. Pearson took a suite to the cleaners and when he picked up his suite two days later the pants were misplaced.

Pearson asked $1,000, the full price of the suite. A week later the Chungs found the pants and refused to pay and give Pearson the pants. That is when Pearson decided he would sue for $65 million and represent himself in the court.

When the Chungs offered $3,000 and then $4,600 Pearson refused. As Pearson no longer wanted to use his neighborhood dry-cleaners he wanted $15,000, ten years of weekly car rental fees to transport him to another dry-cleaners. He feels he has the constitutional right to use the local cleaners and as the Chungs have made that impossible, they should pay to transport him to a cleaners of his choice.

Pearson says that the Chungs are in violation of the DC consumer protection law because they have a sign that reads “Satisfaction Guarantied” and “Same Day Service”. Pearson claims he is not satisfied and that not all items are completed in the same day. Hence Pearson argues that law allows for violators to pay $1,500 per violation, per day. Pearson is claiming twelve violations each day over 1,200 days.

Pearson is not out for justice. He is openly perverting the justice system for his own gain. Unfortunately the courts are allowing the case to move forward to trial. This is the type of case demonstrates the glaring shortcomings of the American legal system. Far too often justice is not the focal point of a case. Instead it is a legal system filled with games with self-serving individuals using and perverting the laws.

Every legal case depends upon the wisdom and cool reflection of the presiding judge. Judges, at least according to legal theory, are to seeking balance and help restrain over reactions and undue passions, to limit the perversion of the legal system and the law. The action against the Chungs also brings into question that entire theory as Roy Pearson is a judge.

Even with pro bono work by some parties on their behalf, the Chungs have had to go into debt to defend themselves against this horrible filing. Fortunately, there is a growing cry within the legal community for Pearson to be removed from the bench and disbarred. Yet, the case moving forward to a 11 June trial date speaks volumes.

Press and VA Tech

The events that took place on Monday Virginia Tech is a poignant reminder of what took place at Brampton Centennial. The memory of friends killed and wounded become fresh again for a few moments. The out of bounds hounding of the press in 1975 of families of victims and the family of the perpetrator has increased only ten fold.

Families and friends who seek to bury their dead in peace and out of the spotlight find instead a string of cameras recording their private lives under the unjust and disrespectful claim that the public has a right to know when all they are doing is satisfying their own voyeuristic desires and those who have similar neurotic tendencies. Most of those pointing the cameras those same people would never want to be on the receiving end of being the subject of the voyeuristic desires of the public.

This is voyeuristic shameful behavior that disregards the right to privacy pails when compared to a much more grievous conduct by the press. This dreadful conduct is the media’s decision to publish the letters and recordings of the shooter. I have not read them or listened to them, and I will not do so. The press under the guise of the public has a right to know is only laying the foundation for the next psychotic killer. The press needs to ask, “Why has he left these messages? And why did he send some of them to NBC?” The answer is simple. In his psychotic delirium he wanted to justify his actions, to gain notoriety and to have is work published. And it worked!!! The press gave him what he sought from them! The press has played into this game and he has the victory.

Those who argue that if they do not publish it some other media outlet will are misguided. NBC and others should have taken the high ground by stating that they refused to publish it because by doing so that are rewarding the killer by giving out his message and they would only be encouraging others to follow similarly. Further, they could claim that in this situation that they are setting aside the freedom to publish and profit for the greater good of the community. The press that cries about ethics and call for political and business leaders to courageously seek the common good for the public above personal gain have demonstrated in the publication of the killer’s material that they too are no better than those they attack with vengeance.

Another Saturday of For Competitions

Today Joshua completed another round of competitions. This round was the final of the year sponsored by the school district (series runs: marching band, district band, concert band, jazz and solo/ensemble). Today Joshua did a college level solo (grade 6 rating) and then was in a trombone ensemble along with three others from his school. Josh and the ensemble received a 1 (superior score).

The solo will continue to be honed for his college entrance auditions. A second solo will be worked up to be the second solo for his college auditions.

There is only one more series left in the school year, an open competition being held in Myrtle Beach in just less than two weeks. With some trombones in Concert II are missing for the Myrtle Beach trip Josh is filling in on second trombone.

After the Myrtle Beach Josh will not get much rest from competitions since there will be thirty-three competitions in which he will be participating with the Crossmen over the summer.

A Lesson Learned"

With great humor my secretary, Erika, told me that on Wednesday her twenty year old nephew was driving in DC while talking on his cell phone. Passing an intersection he saw someone he knew. He waved, kept driving and talking on his cell. Less than block later lights flashed telling him to pull to the curb. The officer said if he terminated the call he would have received only warning, be kept talking and was issued a $100 ticket for talking on his cell phone while behind the wheel. The officer issuing the ticket was his uncle.

His uncle and Erika hope there nephew has learned a lesson. Regretfully, they have their doubts.