A Companion thread...

[lancewannabe]

Being able to fall back asleep is a good thing.

Oh, to fall asleep.... and perchance to dream!

Been up since 3am. At the YMCA working out at 5am. Working since 8.... What a day!
How about 65 degrees, sunny and out on my bike? That's where my head is!
Have a great one everybody!

 

[Missingmeds]

Meanwhile, I am sitting here with the rain falling outside and it being a cold, dreary day.

 

[lancewannabe]

Meanwhile, I am sitting here with the rain falling outside and it being a cold, dreary day.

Nothing planned for the day?

 

[HybridCrow]

I hate getting up in the morning. So far I missed the morning class 4 times and I think that's bad.

I could blame working until 11 PM as the problem, but I'm not going to because I needed a job and I'm going to work. I'll just make sure next week I work hard to get up in the morning.

Anyhow, I don't think it's raining, but more like wet outside right now. It's also cold, no doubt. I'm going to finish up this paper and then if I have time, I'm going to wash some dishes before I go to my afternoon class and then I'm off to work after class until 11 PM tonight. Tomorrow's payday, then I'm off Friday.

Ya'll have a good day.

 

[Missingmeds]

Not today Lance. I have been watching this case in Florida play out pretty closely.

 

[lancewannabe]

Not today Lance. I have been watching this case in Florida play out pretty closely.

What case is that? The one of the brain dead woman?

 

[Missingmeds]

Yes that is the one. Sad as it is.

 

[Missingmeds]

Good morning everyone.

 

[Missingmeds]

Like Something Out of a Cartoon.

LONDON (Reuters) - Can't get out of bed in the morning?



Scientists at MIT's Media Lab in the United States have invented an alarm clock called Clocky to make even the doziest sleepers, who repeatedly hit the snooze button, leap out of bed.


After the snooze button is pressed, the clock, which is equipped with a set of wheels, rolls off the table to another part of the room.


"When the alarm sounds again, simply finding Clocky ought to be strenuous enough to prevent even the doziest owner from going back to sleep," New Scientist magazine said Tuesday.


Sounds like a good thing to me.

 

[Missingmeds]

In Our Local Newspaper This Morning


CLEVELAND (AP) - Domestic violence charges cannot be filed against unmarried people because of Ohio's recently enacted definition of marriage, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Stuart Friedman changed a felony domestic violence charge against Frederick Burk to a misdemeanor assault charge because of the state's constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

Judges and others across the country have been waiting for a ruling on how the gay marriage ban, among the nation's broadest, would affect Ohio's 25-year-old domestic violence law, which has not been limited to married people.

Friedman's ruling is the first high-profile one in the state among several similar requests to overturn domestic violence charges. Prosecutors immediately appealed.

Friedman said the ruling applies specifically to this case, but advocates said they believe its impact will be felt statewide because appeals likely will reach the state Supreme Court.

Burk, 42, of Cleveland, is accused of slapping and pushing his live-in girlfriend during a January argument over a pack of cigarettes.

Burk's public defender, David Magee, had asked the judge to throw out the domestic violence charge because of the new wording in Ohio's constitution that prohibits any state or local law that would "create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals."

Before the amendment, courts applied the domestic violence law by defining a family as including an unmarried couple living together as would a husband and wife, the judge said. Now courts can't do that because of the gay marriage amendment, Friedman wrote.

"By mandating that the State deny any legal recognition 'that intends to approximate the design, significance or effect of marriage' to relationships between unmarried individuals, the Ohio Constitution now appears to threaten the limited protections previously available to them by law," he wrote.

John Martin, who supervises appeals in the public defender's office, said the office was pleased with the ruling but would not comment further because of the appeal.

Because Burk had a prior domestic violence conviction, the latest charge was a felony which could result in an 18-month jail term and a $5,000 fine. A misdemeanor assault conviction carries a maximum sentence of six months and a $1,000 fine.

"This case is a good example of why we need a domestic violence law. A misdemeanor assault doesn't carry with it a significant enough penalty for repeat domestic violence abusers," said Matt Meyer, an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and domestic violence advocates have been concerned about the conflict. The groups say a victim can get quick protective orders under domestic violence laws, but cannot if the charge is assault.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Friedman would not comment on the broader effect his ruling may have on the marriage amendment.

"That's what everyone wants to know," he said. "I'm not getting into that."

Some opponents of the amendment have said they hope the conflict over the domestic violence law would result in the gay marriage ban being repealed.

Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values and chairman of the Ohio Campaign to Protect Marriage, said the problem isn't with the amendment, but with the criminal law that he said should be changed to apply to anyone, regardless of marital status. His group was key in pushing the amendment, which won 62 percent of the vote in November.

 

[HybridCrow]

Geezus... Over a pack of cigarettes. Cancer-stick addicts, they are.

Anyhow, good afternoon everyone!

 

[Missingmeds]

That wasn't the important part Hybrid. The important thing is that in their zeal to not allow gay marriages, not only did the citizens of Ohio strip thousands of people of insurance and other things, but they also stripped their own Domestic abuse victims of protection.

I tried to tell people that this was far more reaching than just gay marriages the way that it was written and I sure didn't vote for it.

 

[HybridCrow]

That wasn't the important part Hybrid. The important thing is that in their zeal to not allow gay marriages, not only did the citizens of Ohio strip thousands of people of insurance and other things, but they also stripped their own Domestic abuse victims of protection.

I tried to tell people that this was far more reaching than just gay marriages the way that it was written and I sure didn't vote for it.

Hmm... and I'm an Ohioan... AND I didn't even vote! Hmm... bastards.

Anyhow, I knew the world's already gone to Hell in a handbasket, so it's more than likely to get worse.

 

[Missingmeds]

Agreed. We all need to get out there and exercise our right to vote.

 

[Missingmeds]

Good morning everyone.

It is snowing here for now.

 

[lancewannabe]

Good morning everyone.

It is snowing here for now.

Morning MM!
No snow in Canton right now. Just COLD drizzle.

My bike is just sitting getting rusty....

 

[Missingmeds]

It has went from snow to rain here as well. A cold slow dizzle, maybe actually more of a mist than anything else.

 

[lancewannabe]

It has went from snow to rain here as well. A cold slow dizzle, maybe actually more of a mist than anything else.

I sure hope the weatherman is right in seeing a warming trend next week! I got a new bike yesterday (hybrid) for commuting to/from work, and I'm itching to try it out!
Have a great Easter!

 

[Missingmeds]

You have a great Easter too Lance and they are saying up in the 60's at some point next week.

 

[Missingmeds]

Good afternoon everyone on this gray, dreary day.

 

[Missingmeds]

Good evening everyone.

 

[HybridCrow]

To be honest, even if people say when you vote, you voice your opinion, that doesn't mean anybody's going to listen to you. You vote no on an issue that everybody else votes yes on, who gets listened to? The "yes" people.

Therefore, I stay the hell away from the voting booths. I'm sorry that there are some people who find it offending that people don't vote or voice their opinion, but it's how I am. Nobody wants to listen to me more than I'll listen to everybody else, but that's life.

Anyhow, I hope ya'll have a Happy Easter. Unfortunately, when my family gets together, I have to work.

 

[Missingmeds]

Everyone should vote, no matter if you feel like your vote counts or not. Your vote could be the one that gets someone in office that we need there or something not passed, that we really don't need passed.

 

[HybridCrow]

Everyone should vote, no matter if you feel like your vote counts or not. Your vote could be the one that gets someone in office that we need there or something not passed, that we really don't need passed.

Well, I wasn't able to vote anyways. I hadn't registered in time.

 

[Missingmeds]

Good morning everyone.