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Author Topic: The Death of Common Sense  (Read 5351 times)

oldiron

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The Death of Common Sense
« on: March 17, 2010, 02:34:20 am »

Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of an old friend who lived a long life, but died recently. His name was Common Sense.

We don't how old he was, since his birth records were lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He devoted his life to service everywhere helping folks get jobs done without fanfare and foolishness.
For decades, petty rules, silly laws, and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common Sense. He was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as, to know when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, and that life isn't always fair.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn, but charge what you're worth), reliable parenting strategies (the adults are in charge, not the kids), and it's okay to come in second. A veteran of the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and the Technological Revolution, Common Sense survived trends like body piercing, "new math," and "political correctness." But his health declined when he became infected with the "If-it-only-helps-one-person-it's-worth-it" virus.

In recent decades his waning strength proved no match for the ravages of regulations. He watched in pain as good people became ruled by self-seeking lawyers. His health rapidly deteriorated with the introduction of zero tolerance policies.

Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, a teen suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, worsened his condition. It declined further when schools had to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could not inform the parent when a female student was pregnant or wanted an abortion.

Common Sense lost his will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, criminals received better treatment than victims, federal judges stuck their noses in everything from the Boy Scouts to professional sports, and newspaper owners thought they were reporters.

Finally, when people, too stupid to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, were awarded a huge settlement, Common Sense threw in the towel.

As the end neared, Common Sense drifted in and out of logic.

Common Sense was predeceased by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
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barryfoote

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2010, 08:03:13 am »

In the UK, these fine citizens passed away many years ago.......Their loss is still mourned by many who do still share their values!!
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Arrow5

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2010, 09:14:51 am »

When will we see their like again ?  :((
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sheerline

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2010, 09:21:12 am »

Footski, I have to report that there are still survivors but they have been rounded up and are beng held at bay by a character called 'Brussels'. Someone gave him a big stick and and a piece of paper called the Human rights act' and said "do your worst".. he has been very successful in his mission
I'm afraid the survivors are rapidly diminishing however and it won't be too long before they are completely overrun . Recently, one survivor had the audacity to confront him and was slapped down and fined £3000-00 for using his right of free speech and questioning the validity of his position.. his name was Nigel Le- Farge of Ukip.
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modelbob63

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2010, 09:49:28 am »

Proves something i have known for a long time That common sense is not so common. <:(
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Greggy1964

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2010, 10:36:29 am »

Common sense is alive and well, but so long as we pass the responsibilities for our own actions onto some thing else or someone else or the government, we loose the power to control our own lives.

It is a world wide epidemic.

''The government has just gotta do something about this!'' is the all too common battle cry of the disgruntled individual not willing to put in the brain hurting effort to think his problem through and to deal with the issue himself!

In the old days, the community in which the problem arose dealt with it, and as long as the issue was dealt in a just manner, the issue was solved.

But a soon as we give over that responsibility to the bureaucratic monster with its voracious appetite, the more we will loose the power to control our own lives.

People cry ''well I can't P*ee with out a risk assessment'', ought to look closely as to why this might be.

There is an epidemic of ambulance chaser lawyers and barristers only too willing to fill their pockets with easy money, winning cash compensation for the woman too lazy to tie the shoe laces of her own trainers and who consequently falls and kisses the pavement.

And who walks away from court with her pockets stuffed with millions in compensation, as the responsibility is ludicrously and unjustly forced upon the shoe manufacturer!

How crazy does the situation have to get before Joe Public at large realises what's going on?

There is an old saying, 'one human is harmless but get a crowed of them and they're blo*dy dangerous!'

As long as is the case, where the brain of the individual is given up to the mind of the mob, this state of affairs will not only rule our lives but will continue to grow in power.

As long as folks look to sue their neighbour for the chance of easy money for no effort on their part, or blame something or someone else for their own actions, the monster will continue to grow and the lawyer vultures and the packs of hungry bureaucratic wolves will continue their feeding frenzy on the flesh of the dying carcass that is our society!
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sheerline

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2010, 11:08:46 am »

 In my humble opiniom, the biggest problem right now is apathy and greed. We have allowed ourselves to be overun with it and once it has a foot in the door it is a mountain to climb to get rid of it. Unfortunately several generations have emerged which appear to thrive on it.
An election looms, I will watch with great interest.
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Greggy1964

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2010, 11:50:09 am »

Ah! %)

And there in lies the crux of the problem. O0

We all do it! :embarrassed:

We sit back and wait for  {:-{  'someone else' to make the first move,  :((

And when it is seen to be done by someone else we will surely throw our hat into the ring.  O0 :-))

We fear  :police:  reprisal  :police:  for  <*<  standing out from the crowd  >>:-(  so choose to do nothing. :-X

The problem is not a new one, Étienne de La Boétie penned the following in the year 1552.

He recognised the danger waaay back then when he wrote;

''They have nothing more than the power that you confer upon them to destroy you.

Where have they acquired enough eyes to spy upon you if you do not provide them yourselves?

How can they have so many arms to beat you with if they do not borrow them from you?

The feet that trample down your cities, where do they get them if they are not your own?

How do they have any power over you except through you?

How would they dare assail you if they had not the cooperation from you?''

Google Étienne de La Boétie it makes fascinating reading

http://mises.org/daily/4139

 :-))

The powers that be are nervous!

They let slip through their fingers unnoticed in the late 80's that tiny seed 'the world wide web'

http://www.nethistory.info/History%20of%20the%20Internet/web.html

They didn't comprehend the enormous power if information dissemination to the public at large that this tiny germinating seed could bring.

But they sit back with relief, because they know that Joe Soap has to get off his butt and actually put in the effort to find what he wants by straining himself to press all those little keys on a keyboard right in front of him first! {-) {-) {-) {-)

And until he does the status quo will rule.
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Circlip

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2010, 12:36:22 pm »

 "There is an epidemic of ambulance chaser lawyers and barristers only too willing to fill their pockets with easy money, "

  But who creates the "Need" for these Greggy??   JOE PUBLIC. Anything for a fast buck. I would have thought that the company that keeps getting sued by the woman who slipped on an unmarked wet floor would have at least put a sign up by now, -- It must have cost them millions.

  Food for thought, recently the Police have been castigated for not doing "Something" to stop the poor chap with learning difficulties being hounded to death by yobboes outside his property. Seems to have been plenty of "Phone Flicks" by local residents showing his plight, but NOBODY challenged them with a piece of 4 x 2 and don't start the "We might get attacked" shouts, complacency has got us to where we are today.

  Sadly, we object and we're grumpy old men.

  Regards  Ian.

PS, typed this just after Sheerlines post but got sidetracked so we seem to have a similar answer Greggy, must be a Yorkshire thing.

 PSS coMMon sense.
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sheerline

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2010, 01:14:07 pm »

The problem is that those who decided to get off their bums and make something of themselves and become upstanding citizens by putting in some effort are the very ones who are being caned. They stuck with their education, strived to get a decent job, buy a home and create a family, all the things an earlier generation held dear as a way of life. Persuaded to buy their own homes, they all got stuck into mortgages and lured by the 'buy now pay later' schemes, wound up owing money. This is a great way to control people, they can't make a move for fear of losing their income since they have so much riding on it. The system is currently working and  is alive and well in the UK right now.
In any case, you will only get the democracy the government will allow you to have and at present it is diminishing at a great rate of knots as with each day that passes a new law is drawn up to restrain you even further.
Greggys post is very telling.
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warrior193

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2010, 02:14:53 pm »

"There is an epidemic of ambulance chaser lawyers and barristers only too willing to fill their pockets with easy money, "

  But who creates the "Need" for these Greggy??   JOE PUBLIC. Anything for a fast buck. I would have thought that the company that keeps getting sued by the woman who slipped on an unmarked wet floor would have at least put a sign up by now, -- It must have cost them millions.

  Food for thought, recently the Police have been castigated for not doing "Something" to stop the poor chap with learning difficulties being hounded to death by yobboes outside his property. Seems to have been plenty of "Phone Flicks" by local residents showing his plight, but NOBODY challenged them with a piece of 4 x 2 and don't start the "We might get attacked" shouts, complacency has got us to where we are today.

  Sadly, we object and we're grumpy old men.

  Regards  Ian.

PS, typed this just after Sheerlines post but got sidetracked so we seem to have a similar answer Greggy, must be a Yorkshire thing.

 PSS coMMon sense.
Part of the trouble is that if you do literally pick up the 2 x 4 (or preferably "sporting equipment") and "fix" the problem - you will very likely end up in court yourself, and the mindless yob/criminal gets compensated for their injuries! - a recent case demonstrated this only too clearly. Don't get me wrong, I am inclined to "use reasonable force" <*< and pray that my jury is made up from like-minded people who are prepared to ignore perverse directions from the judicial bench.
warrior193 
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Circlip

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2010, 02:15:02 pm »

Yep,I'm of that generation too Sheerline, BUT despite all the tempting pitfalls lined up, something being wrong NEVER changed my own attitude OR attempting to sort the problem activley by allowing "The System" to prevail. I obviously managed to avoid the press gangs that dragged me into various shops or Banks and on pain of death forced me to sign to borrow vast amounts of money or buy goods I couldn't afford. Wonder how many recognise the REAL cause of the present "Reccession"??

  Regards  Ian.
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Circlip

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2010, 02:28:24 pm »

Must learn to type quicker.
  
 Yes Warrior, but when the "Justice" system can put a pensioner in clink for making a stand on excessive rates, something needs a serious overhaul.

  Was once on a jury, now THERE'S an eyeopener. Half didn't want to be there, another was a blatent racist, another had to be on the 4.30 train that day and the "Foreman" although admitting that the accused MAY have stolen one or two bits, it wouldn't look good on his record "If the lad went for a job".  Went to a majority voting and he was let off, TWO of us dug our heels in. It was later read out that the string of offences he admitted should be taken into consideration.

  Once challenged a group of nine youfs with a starting handle for using the "F" word infront of the wife (Thirty years ago it was the EXEPTION rather than another common word in lots vocabulary). LUCKYLY they went away, took me three days to get over that one, what could have happened to ME, not because of the handle, but they would have probably beaten the c**p out of ME.

 There ARE times when you HAVE to stand and be counted. Reasonable force is that the b****r doesn't get up and have another go at you.

   Regards Ian.
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sheerline

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2010, 02:37:03 pm »

I, like you avoided those temptations too Circlip, this is one area of common sense which prevailed in my life. In the main, if I couldn't afford it, I didn't buy it but there was the odd thing here and there which we borrowed for. Nowadays some folk just get what they want when they desire it and to hell with the future.... madness.
I don't think there is a day which passes whereby I don't get enraged by the stupidity and rubbish I hear pumping out of the news. Some of the rulings and laws which filter down beggar belief and fly in the face of common sense and decency. It leaves most people feeling pretty frustrated and helpless but unless one is prepared to dedicate a lot of time and effort trying to fight your corner... and everyone else's , you only truly have the ballot box and even then, the options are limited.
I fail to understand the logic of those who refuse to vote, stating "whats the point, they're all the same" .Here is the apathy which will earn us a place in hell.. we're halfway there already. To some degree they are correct but there are alternatives and I will excercise my right to choose as it's one of the few rights any of us appear to have left which could make a difference.
I will vote for a difference as i believe a radical change is neccessary to impart more of a balance within our apparently broken society.

  
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Circlip

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2010, 02:44:40 pm »

L's teeth, S, we could end up getting our bottoms slapped by Martin as it COULD turn into a political thread as far as the ballot box and making a difference goes, BUT, taking a backward step and looking long and hard, some seem to be fast approaching the "Eloi" and "Morlock" stages.

  Regards  Ian.
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malcolmfrary

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2010, 04:33:29 pm »

L's teeth, S, we could end up getting our bottoms slapped by Martin as it COULD turn into a political thread as far as the ballot box and making a difference goes, BUT, taking a backward step and looking long and hard, some seem to be fast approaching the "Eloi" and "Morlock" stages.

  Regards  Ian.
I seem to recall that the Eloi were the pretty, but basically useless lot, while the Morlocks did the actual work that kept everything going.  There is some reluctance in entertainment (which is what SF really is) for the ugly ones to be shown in a good light. In the case of the Morlocks, any light.
Agreed fully with everything else, though.  We, (well, not WE, obviously), but society in general, has got itself into a state where thre are people who are famous for being famous, where anybody doing something useful, like growing food or building things, is looked down upon in favour of anybody who declines to be actually useful, and the entire object of "civilised" life is to acquire shiny objects and have our senses numbed by chemical or other means. 
That feels better.
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essex2visuvesi

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #16 on: March 17, 2010, 06:21:50 pm »

Common Sense is alive and well... last seen skiing in Lapland :)
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Patrick Henry

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #17 on: March 17, 2010, 06:50:28 pm »

We have a new recycling plant opened up in our area, so now we all go there to tip at the end of the day...last week was my first trip there, so having signed in and collected my  official paperwork which shows I know what to do in a plant such as this, I just thought I'd better mention to the weighbridge operator and the machine drivers that I've suffered two heart attacks and that I carry a spray in my pocket just in case I get into difficulties...two sprays under the tongue and call an ambulance, easy.

The plant came to a standstill at this news...the first aid personnel had to be called in, and all had to be explained again. It turns out that they can't help me out if I suffer an angina attack or anything along those lines whilst on the premises. If I'm outside the gates...no problem, I'd have first aiders all over me like a rash, but one inch inside the gates and all they can do is to hold the spray in my hand and assist me to push the button...officially.

The boys did tell me that if anything was to happen to me, then it would be a case of stuff the consequences, and they'd do their utmost to help me out in any way they could, but technically there's nothing they can do, unless they drag me outside the gates!

Common sense...health and safety...cobblers, I say. Apparently I could sue them for every penny they have if I was to die on the premises...one inch the wrong side of the gates and I'd die penniless.

Who on earth dreams up these rules and regulations? I'd wager someone severely lacking in basic common sense.
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oldiron

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #18 on: March 17, 2010, 07:44:46 pm »

We have a new recycling plant opened up in our area, so now we all go there to tip at the end of the day...last week was my first trip there, so having signed in and collected my  official paperwork which shows I know what to do in a plant such as this, I just thought I'd better mention to the weighbridge operator and the machine drivers that I've suffered two heart attacks and that I carry a spray in my pocket just in case I get into difficulties...two sprays under the tongue and call an ambulance, easy.

The plant came to a standstill at this news...the first aid personnel had to be called in, and all had to be explained again. It turns out that they can't help me out if I suffer an angina attack or anything along those lines whilst on the premises. If I'm outside the gates...no problem, I'd have first aiders all over me like a rash, but one inch inside the gates and all they can do is to hold the spray in my hand and assist me to push the button...officially.

The boys did tell me that if anything was to happen to me, then it would be a case of stuff the consequences, and they'd do their utmost to help me out in any way they could, but technically there's nothing they can do, unless they drag me outside the gates!

Common sense...health and safety...cobblers, I say. Apparently I could sue them for every penny they have if I was to die on the premises...one inch the wrong side of the gates and I'd die penniless.

Who on earth dreams up these rules and regulations? I'd wager someone severely lacking in basic common sense.

  There are many apparently nonsensical rules such as you've described. I suspect that most are fostered by an insurance  liability fear. In other words, if they do something wrong with your spray, or you don't survive it regardless, the insurance feels you, or your estate, could sue the recycling place and personnel for all they're worth. This is typical of the liability frenzy started in the States, and is now spreading around the world.

John
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Circlip

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2010, 08:23:42 pm »

Errrr, HOW do you sue someone if you die??????    {:-{
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oldiron

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Re: The Death of Comon Sense
« Reply #20 on: March 17, 2010, 08:31:20 pm »

Errrr, HOW do you sue someone if you die??????    {:-{

  To enunciate:    "the insurance feels you, or your estate".........you if it goes wrong (and you survive), your estate (if you die)

John
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sheerline

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Re: The Death of Common Sense
« Reply #21 on: March 17, 2010, 09:34:49 pm »

Just reply ng to your previous response to my ramblings Circlip, thats as far as my 'political' statements go, I too don't want to incurr the wrath of Martin so thats as heavy as I will get with this one.

Common sense:..........

buying 3metres of 2"x1" timber?

Perhaps an 8'x4' sheet of 6mm ply?

Phoning a company head office in Swindon and being answered by a call centre in India? ... Yes, it happened the other day.
New sky customers entitled to new version Skybox but existing long standing clients have to pay for it.

Pensioners who move abroad are to have their pension stopped and frozen as the government doesn't want the money going out of the country,whilst at the same time giving it away by the trailer load to dependants of foreign workers living and working here.

Packets of nuts bearing the warning 'contains nuts'.

Just a few,  there are loads more but I would get writers cramp! %%
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sweeper

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Re: The Death of Common Sense
« Reply #22 on: March 18, 2010, 01:03:17 pm »

U33,
Consider yourself lucky that they would have done what they suggested (actually hold the inhaler and help you to press the button). In my (sad) experience, the rules are such that even if you give them permission to help you, you are up the creek!
Once these numpties who formulated the "rules" had their say, life as we know it went to bits. How about the edict that you are not allowed to have a pair of scissors in a first aid kit? Not even of the round nose type. Just in case you think it would be a good idea to stab someone while doing your first aid touch. I had a very interesting conversation with our (female) H&S officer on such topics. Let's just say that she had never worked in the real world and regardless of any objections from our engineering staff (who had all been around the block many times), she insisted that her book knowledge was far more correct than anything we could dream of. Needless to say, she came unstuck in a big way, her ideas of preventing access to a lathe went beyond any ideas that we could dream of.

PS I was lucky, our own H&S guy (staff) was a gem. I knocked the cartlidge out in my knee while working. Simple choice, do you want it sorting out by me or do you fancy a Black & Decker job in hospital? No contest! He did the job in a matter of minutes, not nice at the time but in the twenty plus years since it has never given me any problems (as compared to his hospital job - done as a result of a sports injury). Thank goodness not everyone follows the stupid rules!
I would suggest that the required reading for all of this is a paperback entitiled "The Rules Rule O.K." Makes you wonder!
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Circlip

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Re: The Death of Common Sense
« Reply #23 on: March 18, 2010, 01:37:11 pm »

Your remarks sound awfully sexist and chauvanistic Sweeper BUT many years ago we had a Factory Inspector of that gender visit us. One of the things she had us do was to errect a fence all around a tube bending machine so that a casual passing employee couldn't get inamongst. M/D's reaction consisted of two words, a four and a three. But rather than have my department closed (Half the firm) COS SHE COULD, it had to be fitted so that when not in use, the sections of it could be removed, which due to a series of plugs and sockets connected to each fence section, if not all plugged together isolated the machine. The removal was required because of the floorspace wasted by having a "Safety" space all round the machine. She had to capitulate when trying to insist on one area being guarded which would have meant that we couldn't LOAD the machine.

  Her FIRST job out of Uni.  O0  %%

  Regards  Ian.
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dreadnought72

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Re: The Death of Common Sense
« Reply #24 on: March 18, 2010, 03:02:22 pm »

Circlip, your experience of jury duty was not unlike my own.

It was twenty years ago, in Derby: a rastafarian man was arrested for "dealing in cannabis" as part of a large city-wide clampdown on hard drugs. He admitted possession - there was 4oz at his home when it was raided - but not with intent to supply. The only evidence of potential dealing was verbal, heard by a plain-clothes cop wearing a motorcyle helmet. We were shown about thirty seconds of dodgy-quality video, shot on a long lens, showing this motorcyclist pulling over, close in front of the accused's parked car. Within a few seconds, the accused got out to speak to the rider, and after ten seconds was arrested. There was no sound with the tape.

I saw this video and thought "if someone parking their motorbike threatened to hit my car when pulling over, I'd get out and tell him off, too." Presumably being white and not having dreadlocks, I'd be less likely to be arrested immediately afterwards.

After three hours of discussion and reports and so on, we were sent to the jury room to decide.

Of the twelve of us:

I was the only one who took notes.
Six people effectively said "if the police arrested him then he must be guilty".
Three were raging at being away from their work and just wanted this over.
One suggested 4oz of cannabis was enough for "thousands" of joints, thus supporting the theory of dealing. (Ummm...no.  %))

Two of us had our suspicions about the case. This rastafarian was small-fry in the grander scheme of a hard-drugs clampdown. Was this arrest and conviction to get the numbers up? Why was there no recorded audio? Could the policeman be ultimately sure about what he thought he'd heard? Why would an alleged dealer not have his drugs in his car, if this was him being arrested for making a deal?

After an hour's debate, the two of us had raised enough questions in the other ten's minds to agree that the case was unproven. And therefore the accused (this being England) had to be found not guilty.

(He got 100 hours community service for possession, and - smiled the judge - "the evidence" (a small plastic bag of hash) "would be burnt".

Andy
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