Disqus - Latest Comments for Abe

Re: Innocent Man Executed?

Abe — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:09:29 -0000

http://www.ajc.com/metro/co...

Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears issued a strong dissent.

“If recantation testimony, either alone or supported by other evidence, shows convincingly that prior trial testimony was false, it simply defies all logic and morality to hold that it must be disregarded categorically,” she wrote.

The new testimony, if found credible, could lead a new jury to find reasonable doubt of Davis’ guilt or enough residual doubt to impose a sentence other than death, she wrote.

I don't know what you do, but clearly, the law sees things a little differently than you do, and "Nobody saw me do it, you cant [sic] prove a thing" appears to be a better argument than you think.

Re: Innocent Man Executed?

Abe — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:18:19 -0000

To play Devil's Advocate, what if the blood stained boyfriend didn't do it? What if he became stained with blood by gathering his now-deceased girlfriend in his arms in a state of panic? I cannot imagine the thoughts that would race through my head if I saw loved ones bloodied in the manner you describe, but it is easy enough to leave prints on the body if you're checking for a pulse to see if they are still alive.

Our system is far from perfect, and while it seems to deter crime, it also seems to be inefficient at catching the innocent. Further, the history of systematic oppression of the poor, lenience for the wealthy/famous, and frequency of wrongful convictions cannot and should not be ignored. Do I advocate wholesale change of the system? No, but the fact remains that if there exists a doubt to the guilt of the accused the death penalty should not even be considered. Ever.

Re: Innocent Man Executed?

Abe — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:13:30 -0000

Stories like this one are what truly scares me about this country, that it takes only the word of others (a majority of which have recanted their testimony) to put someone in prison for the rest of their lives when there is no physical evidence of any kind linking them to the crime, especially considering that there exists a possibility of police coercion of said witnesses.

Re: Run for the Fallen

Abe — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:43:12 -0000

Thank you, that was moving and incredibly well done.

Re: RNC: John McCain

Abe — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:31:11 -0000

I didn't think you wanted energy without any concern for the environment, I just thought I'd ask the questions to better understand where you were coming from.
I don't think that capitalism is evil, and big oil, well, sometimes it is, but I don't think that all of the advances we have had as a society would have occurred without it. I just think if we're going to be capitalists, then no preference other than a possible nod to "clean" energy should be given through subsidies and the like and the market should be allowed (within reason) to fix the problem. But we don't have a system free to correct itself because it's not purely capitalist, with the cartels, other countries subsidizing their citizens, etc., so things can't come out fair until a lot of things occur.
Thanks for the link, I'll watch it when I have more time.

Re: RNC: John McCain

Abe — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:03:12 -0000

While I agree with you on ethanol (using food for fuel is dangerously short-sighted) and that there can be many unintended consequences from pursuing cleaner energy, I am completely with Steve Nelson with respect to environmental law. Would you rather the companies were free to drill holes and not clean up after themselves? Or that wetlands that protect the larger ecosystem were plundered in search of a few million barrels of crude? To extend the thought, what about polluted drinking water/air near refineries, would you want that?

Re: RNC: Sarah Palin

Abe — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:58:25 -0000

Ah, I somehow missed that. My apologies.

Must be my post-RNC hangover. I can't tell you how excited I am to go back to the normal police presence instead of the occupation force they have had this week, and actually being able to take the quick way home from work.

Re: RNC: Sarah Palin

Abe — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:39:42 -0000

If I am following your logic then it's better to choose someone that you disagree with that brings a "big spirit" than to choose someone that makes up for your own weaknesses who you in turn make up for theirs?

Re: RNC: Sarah Palin

Abe — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:35:18 -0000

"What exactly does he actually seek to accomplish, after he's done turning back the waters and healing the planet?"

Looks like Ms. Palin drank some too...

Re: DNC: Day 1

Abe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:14:13 -0000

Thank you for explaining your position, I always like it when someone can clearly state why they feel a certain way and you have done an excellent job of that.

Am I correct in gathering that you aren't placing any value on the differences between the two you stated? It is my belief that you are against the war in Iraq and the reasons stated for it, has that changed?

While I feel it important to have a philosophical core, I know that if I were in public office there would be a difference between how I'd feel about a certain issue and what I'd force upon others via policy, and feel that the same quality in a leader would be a positive and not a hindrance. Also, I don't think that experience executing non-core philosophical beliefs are as necessary as competence and adaptability, so I can't see someone with the conviction to do what I feel is wrong and does it well as a good thing.

To be perfectly honest I'm not a large fan of either candidate, but granting the GOP another 4 years of ineptitude and the long-term ramifications of allowing them control over the Supreme Court does not sit well with me. I think it's time for the pendulum to swing the other way in this country, if only to bring it back closer to the middle.

Oh yeah, I don't place much faith in polls anymore, since they seemed so incredibly accurate in the Iowa primaries, but I'm with you on your last statement since the Democratic party seems (to me at least) far more adept at saying "we're not them (the GOP)" than actually defining who they are, and are incredibly good at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Re: DNC: Day 1

Abe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:03:55 -0000

But aren't Senators Clinton and Obama philosophically similar? Isn't that why Senator Clinton asked the question last night (paraphrase) "were you voting for me or for them?" I thought that was her basically saying that Senator Obama is going to get the same things done as President that she would have. Clearly, you don't feel the same way, though I am curious as to why not, care to elaborate?

Re: Shaun Chapman

Abe — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:40:03 -0000

Take that hippies!!

Great interview!

Re: Why Vote?

Abe — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:20:42 -0000

LC, do you think that the Electoral College should be eliminated? Also, do you think that the Senate should be proportionate as well? And what would you say to the people that feel the Electoral College was designed for political stability and that it brings candidates to the center if they want a serious chance at winning?
I'm glad that you said "every other election counts" because I often care more about the local election that is also taking place than the Presidential one, and I feel you on the frustration about an individual vote counting. I wish that we had a better way of electing our Commander-in-Chief, and that the whole country's well-being was considered ahead of special interests, but who knows if that day will ever come.

Re: Alive in Baghdad

Abe — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:24:31 -0000

Lairor, it is the arrogance of the West that assumes that its way of doing things is the best way and the only way, completely ignoring how other cultures are aligned inside themselves. Do I think that government should cling to tribal differences instead of moving past them for the greater good? Of course not, but just because I can't understand why people choose to live a certain way doesn't necessarily make it any better or worse than the way I live.

I'm glad that it seems we are at the point at which the Iraqi people want to take care of their own country and the US can reduce its presence and focus on what we should have a long time ago; Afghanistan (which is heating up again).

Re: Alive in Baghdad

Abe — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:43:10 -0000

Or it could be a sign of just how much Iraq has progressed that one can find such disparate views of the situation.

Re: Downsize…Focus…Pounce!

Abe — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:33:45 -0000

I just started applying downsizing to the mess in my bedroom and it's amazing how much clearer my head is this morning. Great post.

On an unrelated note, I wish I'd bought Anheuser-Busch before InBev got this deal done. Oh well, price will probably fall once InBev starts cost-cutting.

Re: Money talks

Abe — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:18:54 -0000

It's not that they can't, but given the amount of money that goes in to platform development, with all the regulations they must meet along with trying to design the public will actually like (roughly 5 years from when they're developing it) it comes to me as no surprise that large auto manufacturers haven't been able to quickly respond to this change in the market. Add to that tons of inventory of something that their consumers don't want in the numbers they previously did, and you have a ton of inertia preventing quick response.
And why shouldn't it be all about money? If they didn't think anyone would buy it, why gamble with your companies (and employees') livelihoods to take that kind of chance? True, they take that kind of chance each time they develop a new platform, but that doesn't mean it's all their fault that their customers were happy buying bigger and faster instead of more efficient.
Also, isn't an electric car just as polluting until we come up with cleaner electricity options and update our infrastructure to be more efficient as well?

Re: The two faces of Joseph Dwyer

Abe — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:57:38 -0000

And access to said insurance for life should not require a full legal team and 1000 phone calls to finally get the necessary treatment. The amount of effort required to get the benefits that our fighters are entitled to is shameful and needs to change immediately.
While we're at it, the G.I. Bill needs to be revamped, so that our next generations can have the same chances as the last ones had.

Re: National Endowment for the Arts

Abe — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:31:47 -0000

I had never heard of the Reggio Emilia Teaching Philosophy, so thank you for that. I am all about programs that require more parental involvement than finances and transport, so I'll definitely keep it in mind when I have kids of my own. As for the rest, I agree, music is definitely not a "throwaway" subject, and I was lucky to go to schools that felt the same. If only more schools could see it that way as well.

Re: National Endowment for the Arts

Abe — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:22:33 -0000

I'm intrigued by your last statement, "I know I will be paying for my kids to go to a private school that understands the connections between art/music exploration and math/science learning."

Is this a special school? I only ask because I started playing trumpet in 5th grade and played through high school at both private and public school, and not once was a connection explicitly stated between music and science. I know that it taught me many a skill that had parallels to math/science in that the basics had to be learned before any true exploration could occur, and I was fortunate enough to go to some of the best schools around, but music was just music.

Re: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

Abe — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:59:05 -0000

Yes, but is it not also possible that we have a system that doesn't expect results and instead exists only to perpetuate itself (see bi-partisan lack of backbone in opposing the Iraq war) and thus no group would want to actually go against the status quo since the general public is generally silent and ignorant?

I'm not saying I know the answer, but I don't like the thought of the entire government doing surveillance on my banking, phone/email conversations, and every other aspect of my life they deem worthy of surveillance in the name of "national security" either.

Re: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act

Abe — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:25:25 -0000

What the hell, is it Monday already? What happened to the 4th of July? Damn I'm gloomy now. What happened to all that hope I kept hearing about?

Re: Supreme Court: we can keep our guns under the 2nd Amendment

Abe — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:42:50 -0000

I know it's not the most rigorous of search methods, but wikipedia has a boatload of information on the second amendment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

It is clear that the colonists had the right to possess firearms under the English Declaration of Rights of 1689, and the main debate about the second amendment was really around the power of the central government vs. state governments and that the right to bear arms was really about protection from tyranny.

What do you mean by "potentially dangerous people?" If you mean people with a criminal record, they are not granted the legal right to possess firearms, nor are those of questionable mental stability. And considering that we are innocent until proven guilty, I don't really know what you are getting at with that statement.

Re: Guest Blogger: Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor

Abe — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:40:25 -0000

"We truly are remarkable living entities and what a privilege it is that we have the ability to co-create with one another the kind of world we yearn for. Our life is a gift and when we choose to see the blessing of what we are with gratitude in our hearts, we can live heaven on earth."

What I got from it was the message of empowerment, that we can do so much, and change so much, if we make the decision to. Also, Dr. Taylor seems to be making the point that much of what stresses us can be filtered out inside our own minds, which would lead to a much more fulfilling existence.

Re: Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.

Abe — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:31:19 -0000

Dr. Taylor is such an interesting speaker, great job ML.