To add to my life experiences, I have just been appointed as a Bail Commissioner for my district, which encompasses some thirteen towns around me. That means I can be called to any of those police stations and, as a neutral third party, set bail for people who have been arrested and charged with a crime. There appears to be a bit of a learning curve, but it really doesn't look too difficult. I expect like most other things that once I have done a couple, it will become relatively routine.

Following an almost-two-hour instructional introduction, I was able to observe an actual occurrence of what I will be doing. A young man charged with two felony drug crimes had been brought into the courthouse , and my trainer did the bail-setting process. It was helpful to first learn about the procedure and then actually see it happen.

The only down side I see to being a Bail Commissioner is that calls will come in after normal business hours, but it comes with the territory; during regular hours, people are taken right to the courthouse. There are some twelve other bail commissioners in the district, and I was told that if I couldn't make it in, I couldn't make it in; someone else would be called. My guess is that officials work down the list calling those first who are closest.

Half-kiddingly, I told my trainer that being a Bail Commissioner is a good way to keep track of my former students... said half-kiddingly.

Anyhow, that's what's new. I will keep you posted if any interesting cases come along.

Later.

UPDATE (11/21): I had my first two calls today. I was out for the first, but I made it to the second. We were just finishing dinner with another couple when the police dispatch called with someone who needed to be bailed. It was a young man who was charged with possession of and transporting some marijuana. I left the house at 7:45 pm and was back in an hour. I am now a veteran Bail Commissioner!

Hello, Kitty

(Shhh, don't tell the cats in my house, but I have never really been a cat person. Therefore, I find it strange that I am writing this. And whatever you do, don't call the house and read this entry to them; don't even fax it to them; they don't need to know. Thanks.)

Okay, kittens are cute; I admit it. I suspect that kitten look is what nature gave them so people would take them and forget that they grow into cats. Anyhow, not long ago, four kittens magically showed up in the horse barn (it used to be a garage, but now there's barely room to even squeeze in my motorcycle; I'm not sure why I even mentioned that). My wife fed and watered them, they grew, and now they are making their way out in the local world. That was then.

Now, four more kittens showed up, but this time their parents disappeared into the night (maybe it was the day; I wasn't watching). I thought of putting them on Maury to help find who the kitty daddy, but that didn't seem practical. Again, my wife fed and watered them, but the nights are getting downright cold, and those three little faces are heartbreaking as they gather to face the cold and lonely, and the deep, dark nights together.

The Ever-lovely Miss Kim was late from work last night, so the Ever-effervescent Miss Jessica and I had to feed them. When the door to the barn opened, all three came scampering out. I put their bowls down and watched them eat. The barn was and is their entire world at this point. They don't have a Mom or Dad to show them how to hunt or take care of themselves. Without those skills, the world would be a tough place (with those skills, the world is still a tough place). They need people to take care of them, so we decided to take them to the humane society (HS), which I trust will live up to its name and give the little guys a chance.

As today is a holiday, I called the HS, and yes, it's open.... But, apparently I live in he wrong town to use them. If I showed up, they'd check my papers and send me away. Each town contracts with different shelters around the state, and this HS wasn't "mine" (ya gotta love bureaucracy and The Rules). So, I called my town's police dept., but they weren't any help. They didn't know of any local shelters. I called the bigger town nearby (2007 population - 3,688). They didn't have any information either; they knew of no contracted facilities. Tomorrow (Wednesday), I will call the animal hospital (closed today); if anyone should know they should.

The point of all of this? There are a few. First, when ads say to spay or neuter your pets, you should; that's a good thing. Next, Nature is. I am tempted to call her cruel, but Nature just is. What happens out there, the births and deaths, is all part of Nature. When Man is introduced with caring, concerned people, Nature becomes cruel by Man's definition. I didn't want to go out and see the kittens because I knew what would happen; when I went out last night, I felt overwhelming sorrow looking at their innocent little faces. They didn't ask to be born, and their very futures rested in our hands (in another scenario in another place, they'd drowned or shot). They see us as a food source, and they trust us. I want them to find someone to love and care for them (I usually know all I need to about people by how they view and treat animals). And lastly, these kittens got me to thinking about all the babies being born into the world....

(Oh, and by the way, if you read carefully early on, you would have noticed I first mentioned four kittens and then switched to three - my wife brought one into the house - he was the lucky one.)

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad!

Winston Churchill once said, "Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm." I am feeling pretty darn successful these days.

First, as some of you know, I just found out that a position I was hoping for didn't come through; someone else was hired. The offering closed on August 29th. It was today, November 8th, that I was notified. The job was for a writer/editor. I thought it and I were a great match, but it really doesn't matter what I think; if it were up to me, I would have been hired, but it wasn't, so I wasn't. I am slightly disappointed, but I am not crushed. If it was meant to be, it would have been.

(Maybe I should have applied to help with Human Resources. I mean, 72 days to make a decision and get back to someone? I betcha I could interview people and decide on a candidate in a fraction of that time. The letter did encourage me to apply for other positions that I am qualified for. Let's see, the way I figure it, I could apply for five jobs, and a potentially productive year would be gone.... I don't think so. Thanks, but no thanks).

Combining that latest rejection with my recent loss in the political arena, that's two in a row, but that's okay. There are plenty of jobs out there... aren't there? I mean, aren't we riding the crest of prosperity? I mean, based on Congressional accounting rules, at the end of his presidency Clinton reported a surplus of $559 billion. The past eight years and the Republicans' penchant for fiscal conservatism and smaller government must have kept the surplus and added to it, so I am looking at the world through Rose-Garden-colored glasses. Something will come along... soon, I am sure. I will keep you posted.

So, those are my two out of three! What's number three? I don't know yet, but I will let you know when it happens; I feel good about it, whatever it will be.

Later.

Election Results

The people have spoken. Although I don't have official results yet, my campaign as a write-in candidate for U.S. Senator from New Hampshire wasn't as successful as I had hoped. I do know there are at least three-hundred thousand disappointed voters (actually they are the ones who voted for John Sununu and Ken Blevins).

My goal was to see if through emails and press releases I could even make a blip on the radar. The Secretary of State's office hasn't listed write-ins, and I don't know if it will. I do know I did receive at least one vote - any more than that I consider a success. In theory, if I am to believe those I spoke with, I should have a few more.

All of that said, I am excited by the overall national election results. Although I was too young to vote back then, I suspect I still had the same feeling after JFK's election. There was hope in the air; there was enthusiasm. These days, there is the same feeling, but as the old saying goes, no matter who is elected, the Government still gets in.

Lots more to say, but I have to go now. This election was true history in the making. Time will tell what will happen, but this was one election I was glad to have lived through and participate in. I do hope and pray for the best.

Later.

Vote!

Notice the button above is in the center; that's so people won't think I am subliminally suggesting one side or the other. Also, I chose a plain font for the same reason. Unfortunately, 'plain' rhymes with McCain, so I may have a problem there. Also, perhaps you have received the email in which all the words are jumbled (first and last letters must be the same). Most people are able to read the entire message with little effort. Therefore, a second problem is that the letters in 'plain' also can easily be seen as a plug for Palin. I'll take my chances.

Humorist Kin Hubbard once wrote: "We'd all like t' vote fer th' best man, but he's never a candidate." That seems to have been the case for several elections now. In the last election, for example, Kerry got my vote, but I didn't vote for him. I voted against Bush. Looking at the economy, etc., I wish more people had, but I am not sure it matters. I would give almost anything to see what the country (and world) would look like today if Kerry had won. His victory may have a huge difference but maybe not. An anonymous quote says, "No matter who you vote for, the Government always gets in." That is quite telling.

Anyhow, this election is one more in which neither candidate "flips my switch" as again the Government will get in. Anyhow, I am writing this for any undecided readers. The last survey I saw indicated some 94 percent of voters have made up their minds. If you ask how anyone can still be undecided, I suspect those people are still wondering if they should even vote or if they should vote for a Libertarian or Green or Socialist candidate. There are six major party candidates and many, many others. I started to count all candidates and got up to 47 just getting through the B's. When one votes for anyone other than a mainstream, major party candidate, either s/he is voting strongly-held conviction, making a comment on what the two major parties is offering us, or perhaps "wasting a vote."

All of that said, I am going to stay mainstream and take a chance on Obama. There are two words that make him the only choice in my mind: President Palin. Being objective, I believe any thinking person would understand that a Jane Six-Pack doesn't belong in the highest office of the land and that she is not ready in any way, shape, or form. I believe John McCain is a good man, but I also believe his judgment lapsed when he picked Palin! There is a posted one in seven chance that John McCain will not make it through his first term. That would place her in the Presidency. You betcha it would, and that's absolutely unacceptable to me. I don't want a folksy, cutesy empty suit as the leader of the free world. She is not ready. Period.

From emails I receive, there are too many people out there who feel (1) If the candidate's a Republican, that's good enough for me, or (2) He's black - that's all I need to know. My problem has been that neither candidate represents fully what I believe is important. Two cases in point: (1) I do support the Second Amendment (Republican), but I also believe that while abortion as birth control is absolutely unconscionable, I do ultimately believe it should be a woman's choice (Democrat). What's a voter to do. Looking at more issues, I see I will save $1,000 under Obama's plan and zero under McCain's. The ads all lie! One needs to look at the facts (e.g. www.factcheck.org). I did, which is why I will give Obama a chance.

Under our last few "Conservative" presidents (Reagan [$155 Billion deficit], Bush 1 [$290 Billion deficit], and Bush 2 [$500 Billion-ish] ), our deficit blossomed! Tax-and-spend Liberal Democrat Clinton left office with a $236 Billion surplus, which Bush 2 has squandered away. The facts are there, so that's another plus on Obama's side.

I have gone on long enough. While not a hearty endorsement, I encourage you to give Obama a chance. I will.