First time on the (court) bench
The resident magistrate has a worthy program in which he invites community members to sit with him on the bench. Today it was my turn.
I am probably more familiar with court procedure than most of his guests, but I found it interesting to compare what happens here with what I have seen in Kalgoorlie and Myrtleford.
There were far fewer indigenous defendants than Kalgoorlie, but many cases involved people from the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum, which was also true in WA and at Myrtleford.
I can’t believe as many people turn up for court as they do in casual clothes, work gear or jeans/track suits.
Here’s a memorised summary of some highlights from my 90-minute session: Read more
When decades-old charges go to court
We have been following a jury trial for the past few days involving an 80-year-old man charged with sex offences which the prosecution alleged occurred 40 years ago involving his niece, who was a child at the time.
The man was found not guilty.
This type of trial troubles me for several reasons. Read more
Cold and flu tablets
I’ve got my first major head cold for the year. It’s not surprising given that several staff were off sick at various times last week and the weather is “freeze your balls off” as one letter writer succinctly put it.
I know American bloggers think we’re soft when we complain about the cold, but today would have sent the shivers up just about anyone.
The wind chill meant it was effectively four degrees.
Anyhow, I ventured out at lunchtime to get some cold and flu tablets from the chemist, which sadly was half a mile away from the office. Read more
The mysteries of packaging
I sometimes wonder at the amount of packaging for certain products and how they are packaged.
Why do they stuff paper inside shoes, for example?
Why do plastic fruit juice containers have seals which need to be prised open with a crowbar?
Why do electronic gadgets come in plastic that’s harder to open than a medieval maiden’s chastity belt?
Why does a tub of noodles, which is adequately sealed, have an extra layer of flimsy plastic to get through before you can remove the cover?
Sigh.
Parents should be licensed
The story that 18-month-old twins were found dead, apparently from neglect, in a Brisbane house defies belief. A 28-year-old man and his 30-year-old partner have been charged with failing to provide the necessities of life.
The charges could be upgraded to murder.
An earlier court hearing was told that police found the bodies in a “state of decay” and the toddlers appeared to be malnourished.
It’s too easy for people to have children. It’s harder, in fact, to get a licence to drive a motor car. Read more
Good Friday holiday
The Herald Sun reports a Uniting Church cleric who believes Good Friday should be dumped as a public holiday in favor of something to do with reconciliation.
That’s the sort of nonsense you come to expect from the Uniting Church.
I have written before about how Australia’s public holidays need an overhaul, but I never envisaged dropping Easter or Christmas.
Australia’s demographics have changed, but it’s important we respect our Christian origins and observe the major feast days. To do otherwise would be to suggest that our value-system has changed, and I don’t believe that’s the case.
Labor Day is the most obvious holiday to be dumped and made uniform across the country.
Myrtleford murder mystery
It sounds like the remains of missing Myrtleford toddler Daniel Thomas may have been found today after human bones were discovered under a house in the North East Victorian town.
Daniel went missing in October 2003.
The house is the one Daniel’s mother Donna Thomas and babysitter Mandy Martin rented together when Daniel was reported missing. Ms Martin has been a police suspect. Read more
The sorry man
I was going to write today about the dyslexic postman, but it needs a photo. I’ll save that for the weekend.
Instead, I will update the story from yesterday about Jamie who bought a full-page ad beseeching his “Princess” to come back.
The Kalgoorlie Miner’s romance reporter caught up with Jamie today and the tale will be in tomorrow’s paper. Read more
Grumpy old man
Juliet was watching Grumpy Old Men on pay television tonight and invited me to join her.
I declined, but conceded the title was me, especially at work these days. She kindly reassured me I wasn’t a grumpy old bloke and we discussed the program, which we had both seen previously.
I said I thought One Foot in the Grave (pictured) was a better characterisation of the theme. Juliet didn’t argue with that.
I do feel grumpy at times, but not to the extent caricatured. Denial is the first step towards acknowledgment, I believe.
Debutante balls
According to Wikipedia, Catherine Deveny is a comedian and columnist. It’s a shame she doesn’t make her columns amusing.
Andrew Bolt ripped into her last year as the “hateful columnist” which probably won her a medal among the left.
I think her latest piece on debutante balls was hateful, ill conceived, unfunny and inappropriate. Read more
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