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This blog is the work of an educated civilian, not of an expert in the fields discussed.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Three Thoughts



Food: One medium sized grapefruit can be used to make a pitcher of grapefruit juice or mixed with wine to make a tasty cooler.  Raw carrots make good snacks.  That water you drain from pasta, especially if you added something (like a few packets of Chinese food flavorings) beforehand, can make tasty soup base.  The pasta tub in the microwave thingie works pretty good.

TV: Body of Proof is back and it started off nicely.  Good character stuff, mystery and the always charming (for t.v./film nerds) familiar guest stars (FNL/True Jackson V.P.) with an inside joke about Desperate Housewives tossed in.

Complaint: Slip-ups that seem so patently obvious.  For instance, having "no doubt," contra one recent book I read, is not necessary before "clear and convincing" is met. There is something else, which actually has "doubt" in its name, where that works better. And, even there, it is not really "no" doubt but no "reasonable" doubt.  Some argue, e.g., that the death penalty should be left open only when even perhaps a higher standard is met, even a "shadow" of a doubt, even if somewhat unreasonable, would disqualify. This from a law professor type.

Also, Justice Douglas did not "speak for the dissenters" in Poe v. Ullman.  It's a pretty important case and easy enough for a person to look up and see he spoke only for himself.  Didn't these people have readers or something to stop such stuff from being in the final copy?   No review for you!