Jury duty

I have jury orientation today, and after having been on three juries, the process is not as mysterious to me as it first was. Jurors have to understand what their responsibility is. They are not to determine what the law is, or what law applies to this particular case. Legislators make laws. Judges determine what law applies to a particular case.

The role of the juror is to determine, "Did the prosecution prove that he committed the crime as defined by the law?" That is all. And note that jury is not to determine whether the person is guilty or not, but if the prosecution proved that he was guilty. If jurors understand their function, it takes a huge weight from their shoulders.

Appreciate them for what they are

I cannot appreciate a man for what he is not. All of us have faults, and I cannot rejoice in any man's faults (least of all my own). I can, however, appreciate what he is. If he is not entirely responsible, I may regret that and it may cloud my opinion of him. However, if despite his negligence he is very tenderhearted, then I still can be thankful for that and rejoice to see it in him. I must appreciate a man for what he is, not for what he is not.

"You can lead a horse to water

but you can't make him drink." You can teach someone the right thing to do, but making him do it is more problematical. At some point the responsibility switches to the student.

American Idol

I have never seen it. I do not intend to.

"Top Secret" old radio show

It starred Ilona Massey as the Baronness Karen Gazer. A little different twist on radio shows about spies, featuring as it did a glamorous woman.

How to make soup

Get a big pot. Put a lot of water in it. Go to the refrigerator and get out all the leftovers. Cut them in little pieces and put them in the pot. Heat the mixture. Eat it.

Hold 'Em Yale

This is a cute movie that stars Patricia Ellis, Cesar Romero, William Frawley (of I Love Lucy fame) and Andy Devine. It involves a comedy kidnapping. It sort of reminds you of The Ransom of Red Chief.

Dump truck drivers

They come in all sizes and shapes, but I saw one this morning that reinforced the stereotype. He was about my height, but weighed maybe 240 pounds. Very solid fellow. Looked like his truck. Very pleasant man, also. He took time to visit about the project on which he was working.

Andy Clyde (California Carlson)

Hopalong Cassidy's radio sidekick.

Why Admiral Perry stayed alone at the South Pole

According to the account I read, he did not want two men to stay, because they would be at each other's throats due to cabin fever.  Three men would break the balance and relieve the tension. However, he could not spare three men, so and he would not ask anyone else to do it alone, so he did it himself.

I owe my wife much

$1000, to be exact. That is what she had when we got married. I had nothing. I still do not have her paid back.

Gun control is a misnomer

People control is the real object.

Biscuits and gravy sure are good

if they are fixed right. Need pepper. And ideally brown gravy.

GREAT source for old movies

Excellent prices and customer service.
Bob Connors
yrkconnors@gmail.com

I started to have a statue of myself put in the yard

but my wife said it was bad enough having to look at me when I was home, and she would be switched if she was going to do it all day.

Precinct 21 radio show

This was a nice little radio show that was somewhat along the lines of of Dragnet,  but without an acting style that is quite as dry as Sgt. Friday's was.

Humphrey?

Humphrey? for one of the all-time tough guys of Hollywood? Humphrey? for one of the biggest leading men of his day? Certainly Humphrey is an honorable name, and nothing to be ashamed of; but in a town that changes names about as often as they change spouses, it is strange that he did not. According to the story, the head of Warner Brothers tried to get him to use a stage name, but he refused. More power to him, as his name became one of the most recognizable in Hollywood history.

"Greetings, fellow Vallianter"

One of my closest high school friends, Dan Kirkpatrick, was a multi-talented individual. In fact, he has headed his own advertising agency in recent years. One of his hobbies in high school was fixing up old cars, including one mousy-looking Valliant in which he took great pride. If he should happen to meet another Valliant while along, he would always hail them with cheery words of comradeship, "Greetings, fellow Vallianter." Great fun.

Oh, my aching back!

As we get older, that is not merely an exclamation, but a statement of fact.

June Storey

Her main claim to fame were the ten movies she made as Gene Autry's leading lady. However, she did show her diversity by making several detective/police movies in which she played entirely different roles. Examples are Dangerous Lady, which we have, and have enjoyed. Not great stuff, but passable.