The Martin WooHoodStock Thread

[Jumble]

I really should stop watching daytime tv

[llp]

Hm. Apparently the law is about to be changed so that anyone found guilty of killing a police officer will get an actual life sentence, meaning never getting out alive. I take issue with that, because I don't see that a police officer's life should be set above the life of a child, or an old person, or anyone else for that matter. A life sentence should mean life - no exceptions!

In the US they have a "life sentence" and a "life sentence without possibility of parole"! Now I find that to be totally weird as well. What part of life sentence means you can get paroled but it happens unless there is that "without possibility of parole" attached.

One way around it for a judge....if a prisioner is found guilty of more than one crime (which happens often) a judge can chose to run the sentence concurrently or consecutively. The consecutive one will last a lot longer and sometimes adds up to several hundred years since he must serve one sentence at a time before the next one kicks in.

[Cagranosalis]

Yes, and you should go put the soapbox back.

But FWIW I agree with you on both points. I thought "hmm" when they said that about life meaning life for police killers. I can see the logic behind it (these are people who put their safety on the line to protect us) but the same logic can be applied to firemen, soldiers, RNLI lifeboatmen... is life going to mean life if you kill one of them too? And how does one actually put a value on one life over another anyway? Child killers and paedophiles should get life AFAIC but they rarely do.

Did you listen to Heart this morning? Jamie and Emma's challenge this week was to retake their driving tests. I'm pretty sure if I had to retake mine, I'd fail dismally.

[llp]

As for driver licenses - once you hit about 70, most states will ask for a retest of driving that is except Florida (the state with the most senior citizens). In Florida they have 95 years olds driving. 60 Minutes (a tv news show) once did a story about that old man and how he ran over a bus bench (on the sidewalk) for the second time and still retained his license. Seems that the man couldn't turn his head left or right anymore so his wife would be the "look out" for him. Oh and both had very bad vision.

My father would have been a perfect example of why some seniors (as well as all teenagers) should be tested every once in a while. He was in the hospital when his license expired. He would have to have a driving test no matter what. (Required in most states if you let your license expire). He said he would just drive without the license.

My dad had severe diabetes and his legs had very poor circulation (in fact one was eventually removed just below the knee). If he ever had to apply the brake quickly he would never ever be able to do that. I had to literally threaten him that if I ever heard of him driving a car I would call the police on him and have him arrested. I would stake the house out if necessary. I really pissed him off but I didn't care. Not only his life but everyone anywhere near him when he drove would risk their lives. I finally got his wife to agree and she sold his car before he left the hospital. He was mad at me for a very long time and I really didn't care. I also cost me some chauffeur time but I didn't let that bother me either. I didn't want the last thing I remember of my father being that he killed some little kid on a bike because he couldn't stop his car quick enough or at all.

[Jumble]

I have never understood that 'to run concurrently' thing - two crimes deserve two punishments surely?

Yes, and you should go put the soapbox back.

Ah, was that what I tripped over?

But FWIW I agree with you on both points. I thought "hmm" when they said that about life meaning life for police killers. I can see the logic behind it (these are people who put their safety on the line to protect us) but the same logic can be applied to firemen, soldiers, RNLI lifeboatmen... is life going to mean life if you kill one of them too? And how does one actually put a value on one life over another anyway? Child killers and paedophiles should get life AFAIC but they rarely do.

Exactly! The argument is that prisons try to rehabilitate prisoners so that they can come back into society and lead a crimeless life, but I still say that's wrong - a life for a life should be the rule. I'll even stick my neck out and say that some crimes should carry the death penalty If there is absolutely no doubt (as in the monster that raped and murdered his step-granddaughter) that the defendant is guilty of such a horrendous crime, why should the taxpayers pay for him to be fed, housed and entertained for the next 40 years or so? Hang him, I say!

Did you listen to Heart this morning? Jamie and Emma's challenge this week was to retake their driving tests. I'm pretty sure if I had to retake mine, I'd fail dismally.

Yes, I heard that. I was petrified of retaking mine, but in the end it wasn't that bad and I passed with just two minors - I stopped at a roundabout when I could have carried on (there was a van to my right and I didn't have a clear view past him, so I stopped until I could) and the inspector 'wasn't impressed' with my backward glance as I pulled out into the traffic. I'd been driving for 30+ years and had got into the habit of watching my mirrors before I pulled out, long enough to be sure there were no vehicles coming along. I still do it that way because since last year's shoulder drama I can't actually turn my head far enough round to check that way

I found the theory part of the test quite easy - common sense and instinct

[Jumble]

Laurie, in the UK when people turn 70 (I believe) they have to self-assess their driving abilities, which is a bit of a nonsense They have to get their doctor to sign a form to say there is no medical reason why they cannot drive, and I think there is a sight-test involved. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of younger drivers that consider themselves to be fit to drive when they are not, and who's eyesight is not as good as it needs to be. People who suffer from epilepsy are not allowed to drive until they have been fit-free for a year - that's assuming that they gave up their licenses in the first place, because there is no other way for the DVLA to know about it

[llp]

I have never understood that 'to run concurrently' thing - two crimes deserve two punishments surely?

Ah, was that what I tripped over?

Exactly! The argument is that prisons try to rehabilitate prisoners so that they can come back into society and lead a crimeless life, but I still say that's wrong - a life for a life should be the rule. I'll even stick my neck out and say that some crimes should carry the death penalty If there is absolutely no doubt (as in the monster that raped and murdered his step-granddaughter) that the defendant is guilty of such a horrendous crime, why should the taxpayers pay for him to be fed, housed and entertained for the next 40 years or so? Hang him, I say!

My Mom worked in the courts for over 30 years so my perspective is based on the many many stories she use to tell me. A "good" judge likes to have discretion to the severity of sentencing. It depends on the crime and the individual who was in front of the judge. Really hardended criminals usually had a very very small chance of being rehabilitated. But some crimes were committed out of desperation. They needed to be punished but maybe not to the maximum severity that the law allows. However, whenever there is a child involved as a victim or the crime of pedophilia - most judges gave the severest sentence allowed under the law. Sadly rape (until recently) was not considered to be as bad a crime unless the rapist was accused of multiple rapes..... and even some of them didn't seem to get the sentence I believed they deserved. That is changing though. And of course, each state has their own laws.

[llp]

Laurie, in the UK when people turn 70 (I believe) they have to self-assess their driving abilities, which is a bit of a nonsense They have to get their doctor to sign a form to say there is no medical reason why they cannot drive, and I think there is a sight-test involved. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of younger drivers that consider themselves to be fit to drive when they are not, and who's eyesight is not as good as it needs to be. People who suffer from epilepsy are not allowed to drive until they have been fit-free for a year - that's assuming that they gave up their licenses in the first place, because there is no other way for the DVLA to know about it

If you are diagnosed with epilepsy I believe the medical profession is required to advise the DMV or at least in California and Washington state (I think). Each state has their own laws. Every once in a while the state will make you come in and take a written test (not sure how age fits into that) and at the same time you always have to have a vision test. When I moved to Washington one of the first things I did was reregister my car and me! The state accepted my California driving license as valid so I didn't need to take the written or driving tests, but I did have to take the eye sight one and get my picture and fingerprints taken. At 65 the license expired and all I did was mail them a check and application and they sent me a new license. It expires on my birthday in 2017 (5 years).

[EH-T]

Hello friends,
how are you? I miss you... I hope we will meet soon.
Sammie

*waves*


A group of people googled me at AT6. My firm has a website so that somes up as well as some information about articles I have had published. Luckily nothing about stripper shoes although I haven't googled lately so maybe there is. Hope not.

The first time I was to go on the Sanctuary set tour and have lunch with AT we were dealing directly with Jill to make arrangements. Knowing that the internet has lots of nuts as well as good people I told her she could google me to confirm I was in the latter category! When we met I asked her if she had done it and she said no. I guess we seemed harmless enough in our correspondence that she wasn't concerned.

[LadyGalaxyJ]

Back from the dentist, left side of my mouth frozen, but the cavity filling that fell last night as I was eating (weirdest thing, I had no idea what it was at first) is all repaired. I was lucky to get a appointment right away. I called first thing this morning and had no class this afternoon. Trying to drink water at the moment... and failing considerably. I can't feel the rim of the glass on my lips!

[Devilish Me]

This made me giggle today, considering the recent conversation about toys I'm sharing it: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BKU49kTCEAE_VgA.png

[Cagranosalis]

This made me giggle today, considering the recent conversation about toys I'm sharing it: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BKU49kTCEAE_VgA.png

Oh that's brilliant.

[Luvnjoe]

*waddles in* I broke my tail bone. Yeah, 1013 has been a tough year already!

[Jumble]

*waddles in* I broke my tail bone. Yeah, 1013 has been a tough year already!

Ouchie! Hope you feel better soon *hugs*

And I see you've been time-travelling

[Jumble]

If you are diagnosed with epilepsy I believe the medical profession is required to advise the DMV or at least in California and Washington state (I think). Each state has their own laws. Every once in a while the state will make you come in and take a written test (not sure how age fits into that) and at the same time you always have to have a vision test. When I moved to Washington one of the first things I did was reregister my car and me! The state accepted my California driving license as valid so I didn't need to take the written or driving tests, but I did have to take the eye sight one and get my picture and fingerprints taken. At 65 the license expired and all I did was mail them a check and application and they sent me a new license. It expires on my birthday in 2017 (5 years).

Not so in the UK - it's down to the sufferer to do the right thing Becky has epilepsy, and she gave up her license voluntarily. She has been fit-free for more than a year but still feels that it wood be too risky for her to drive her children around knowing that she still could have a seizure at any time.