Some Things I Might Have Discussed

When I see a news story I think I might want discuss on B&E, I usually email a link to myself as a reminder to do it when I have a moment. I had no moments this week to comment upon any of the following items:

1) Clarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas hasn't asked a question during a Supreme Court case in more than two years. You see, most of those judges really enjoy legal banter, arguing, and probing deeply into the issues that shape our legal lives. Not Clarence. The article quotes Clarence: "We are there to decide cases, not to engage in seminar discussions." So wait. Who's the Decider? Is it Dubya or Clarence?

2) Recession?
Speaking of the Decider, our fine, once-elected-twice-serving President declared this week that we are not in a recession. Since he said it, it must be true. He never lies. Never.

3) Incarceration rates
More than one in one hundred people in the United States are in prison. The article is interesting, but one of the things I find most interesting about it is its focus on the strain its having on state budgets. Yes, we're Americans so everything comes down to money, but the Pew Center on the States, which conducted the study and put out the press release, points out something important largely ignored by the Associated Press. The very first sentence of the press release says:

For the first time in history more than one in every 100 adults in America are in jail or prison—a fact that significantly impacts state budgets without delivering a clear return on public safety.

The emphasis is mine because it sure wasn't the AP's.

That's not to say that cost is insignificant. When there are states spending more on corrections than education, there are some serious fucking problems.

But when you realize that these enormous costs don't necessarily make us any safer, how can you view it as anything but an astounding waste of money?

A better use of that cash might be the funding or creating of some treatment programs and an investment in our under-served communities. Get to the root of the problem? Hello? Anyone? Are you there, God? It's me, Dan.

And while we're at it, once people who've served their time get released, how about giving them back their rights to vote? Why should we further disenfranchise people we should be helping to get their lives back together?

4) Barry Bonds' unsealed testimony
I haven't really spent any time with this yet, but you have to figure that Barry Bonds in court won't be much different the Barry Bonds in general. Assholes are entertaining, assuming they're assholes from afar. If you want to read his testimony, the Smoking Gun's got it for you.

5) The Oscars
They were tedious as always, so I probably would have only discussed my uncanny ability at predicting winners across the board. There is a certain Oscar pool I have the tendency to win, and although I was unable to attend this year's watching party, I sat at home and wowed the missus with my talent. I think I missed the two actress categories (but who didn't?) and short documentary, but got everything else, including all that technical shit no one cares about. Alas, though, no pool, no money.

6) Leap Year
It comes around as often as inauguration day, and yet everyone can enjoy it. I hope all B&E readers had a good one. A couple friends of mine got hitched (and interviewed), and my grade school classmate Dusty turned nine. Wonder where he is now.

So yes, with a little bit of more time this week, I might have discussed one or two of those six topics.