It's hard to believe that any American state in these times has only a measly $50 fine for a cockfighting conviction; it hardly serves as a deterrent. This is Alabama's present fine for this activity, nominally illegal. It constitutes a mere slap on the wrist and does not deter at all.
In the new legislative session, an anti-cockfighting bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Jim Barton, of Mobile, in the House and by Republican Sen. Cam Ward, of Alabaster, in the Senate will be filed. It calls for a fine of $6000 and a sentence of up to a year in jail.
This is a move in the right direction. Cockfighting is inhumane, and should be stopped. Gamecocks fight by pecking each other and raking with their claws; both can be severely hurt in a short amount of time, and one or both may have to be euthanized.
It would also help if newspapers in the state reported the names and publish the pictures of all arrested at these barbarous exhibits. Maybe that would serve as a social deterrent against this type of crime! After all, some communities publish the pictures of johns arrested for frequenting prostitutes.
Finally, I wonder if people should not consider the ethical issues regarding cockfighting. Is doing that not some example of sinning, to use an old-fashioned term?
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Dealing With Confusion
When in question or in doubt,
Run in circles, scream, and shout.
Give them Hell, and fire a gun;
Hoist the signal up: "Well done."
Run in circles, scream, and shout.
Give them Hell, and fire a gun;
Hoist the signal up: "Well done."
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Franky's Nose and the Supremes
Okay, one of the current issue before SCOTUS is whether a police dog's sniff outside a house give police officers the right to get a search warrant for illegal drugs, or does the sniff constitute an unconstitutional search?
Florida's highest state court has said Franky, the police dog in question, may have an ability to detect marijuana growing inside a Miami-area house from outside a closed front door. However, in doing so, the pooch has crossed the constitutional line. Florida's Attorney General wants the Supreme Court to reverse that ruling.
The U.S. Supreme Court could decide this month whether to take the case, the latest dispute about whether the use of dogs to find drugs, explosives and other illegal or dangerous substances violates the Fourth Amendment protection against illegal search and seizure. In general, the possible outcomes involve more than a few kids using weed.
My thoughts are these: the odorant that the dog can detect is hardly confinable to the person's domicile. In other words, whatever marijuana odors may be emitted by the substance in question, they are not confinable solely to within the house. Therefore, whether the police officer smells the marijuana itself, or has his canine boon companion sniff it out, it's not an "unconstitutional search." This is very similar to the contents of garbage cans not subject to Constitutional protection from unnecessary seizures. In general, if you throw it out, it's anyone's business who chooses to make it so.
Some little anecdotes: While I was living in Florence, some of the neighboring kids were using weed, they would sit on the porch, and pass the joint back and forth, and giggle. I wasn't particularly curious, but I could easily tell that they were using pot.
And, one time while passing through Haleyville, my daughter noticed that some free enterpriser was dealing in the parking lot of a fast-food establishment. I confirmed her acute observation.
In general, people who do these petty drug offenses are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
Florida's highest state court has said Franky, the police dog in question, may have an ability to detect marijuana growing inside a Miami-area house from outside a closed front door. However, in doing so, the pooch has crossed the constitutional line. Florida's Attorney General wants the Supreme Court to reverse that ruling.
The U.S. Supreme Court could decide this month whether to take the case, the latest dispute about whether the use of dogs to find drugs, explosives and other illegal or dangerous substances violates the Fourth Amendment protection against illegal search and seizure. In general, the possible outcomes involve more than a few kids using weed.
My thoughts are these: the odorant that the dog can detect is hardly confinable to the person's domicile. In other words, whatever marijuana odors may be emitted by the substance in question, they are not confinable solely to within the house. Therefore, whether the police officer smells the marijuana itself, or has his canine boon companion sniff it out, it's not an "unconstitutional search." This is very similar to the contents of garbage cans not subject to Constitutional protection from unnecessary seizures. In general, if you throw it out, it's anyone's business who chooses to make it so.
Some little anecdotes: While I was living in Florence, some of the neighboring kids were using weed, they would sit on the porch, and pass the joint back and forth, and giggle. I wasn't particularly curious, but I could easily tell that they were using pot.
And, one time while passing through Haleyville, my daughter noticed that some free enterpriser was dealing in the parking lot of a fast-food establishment. I confirmed her acute observation.
In general, people who do these petty drug offenses are not the sharpest knives in the drawer.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Zen Teachings
1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me for the path is narrow. In fact, just piss off and leave me alone.
2. Sex is like air. It's not that important unless you aren't getting any.
3. No one is listening until you pass wind.
4. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.
5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
6. If you think nobody cares whether you're alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.
7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
8. If at first you don't succeed, sky-diving is not for you.
9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
10. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.
11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
12. Some days you are the dog,some days you are the tree.
13. Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.
14. Good judgment comes from bad experience ... and most of that comes from bad judgment.
15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
16. There are two excellent theories for arguing with women. Neither one works.
17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
19. We are born naked, wet and hungry, and get slapped on our ass then things just keep getting worse.
20. Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. Sex is like air. It's not that important unless you aren't getting any.
3. No one is listening until you pass wind.
4. Always remember you're unique. Just like everyone else.
5. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
6. If you think nobody cares whether you're alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.
7. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
8. If at first you don't succeed, sky-diving is not for you.
9. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
10. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably well worth it.
11. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
12. Some days you are the dog,some days you are the tree.
13. Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.
14. Good judgment comes from bad experience ... and most of that comes from bad judgment.
15. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
16. There are two excellent theories for arguing with women. Neither one works.
17. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
18. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
19. We are born naked, wet and hungry, and get slapped on our ass then things just keep getting worse.
20. Never under any circumstances take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
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