oenophile

Rhino, Please tell us how is it that you feel you are called on to subsidize diversity? RJ

Warning to Guinness Stout drinkers Do NOT try this stout. It is more carmelly, has more depth of flavor and has a better mouthfeel than Guinness. Lion Stout from Sri Lanka

Should have got a DNA test done on the mayo, shell.

As a purveyor of alcohol (wine and microbrews / imported beers) to restaurants and retail establishments, I do struggle with the question on occasion, what is the difference between me and a drug dealer other than my drug is legal. I realize that how people choose to use my products is their choice - up to to a point. From people I have known with alcohol problems I understand that there are no choice after the first drink. Yet, is the farmer reponsible for national obesity crisis? Is the model responsible for eating disorders of the girl who would love to emulate her? Was my tobacco farmer uncle responsible for my mother's death of COPD and congestive heart failure? It was her decision to smoke 2-3 packs a day for 40 years. Or was it? Addiction is a sticky and stigmatized subject. I contend that all of us are addicted to something. I have my addictions, even though alcohol and drugs are not among them. I realize that my finding a quick and easy way to access the reward center of my brain in order to protect me the slings and arrows of everyday life carries the same potential to wreak destruction within me and in the lives of those around me. Anyone have any thoughts on my ramblings?

Happy birthday to a SMART blonde.

I remember walking downstairs from my bedroom one morning in early summer 1968 to hear my mom frantically exclaiming "Senator Kennedy's been shot!" As I processed the news, I thought back to sitting in my ninth grade physical science class a little over two months prior to that morning. It was sixth period. Mrs. McDonough, our teacher was out that day and we had a very personable middle aged substitute teacher who said it would be ok to talk during the last few minutes of school that day before the bell rang. Our little group in the back of class, Mary Prebula, who was my partner during table ettiquette week in seventh grade and a petite an attractive black girl and myself were laughing and having a good time. It seemed in retrospect the fault line of race was removed and we were just three goofy teenagers. Then the news hit, Martin Luther King had been shot and killed. We felt the tremor and became painfully aware of of the racial divide between us. My tongue felt heavy. I wanted to say something to our black friend but couldn't get the words out. "Bobby" attempts to reveal such social fault lines of race, gender and class that ran through America the night that RFK was killed after giving his California presidential primary victory speech at the Ambassador Hotel. Although, I felt the movie seemed to overdo the sentimentality, seemingly venerating Kennedy to sainthood - it poignantly presented the ideals that captured the conscious of a nation - that despite our differences we are all Americans and that we cannot as a nation move forward unless we move forward together-and that we cannot move forward together unless we are willing to begin the healing process.

Which is more than can be said for VP.

Happy birthday Rocky.

Just one last thing. I not only paid attention in high school civics but one of my degrees is in political science.

You have defeated your on argument. In civil cases the only authority that can reward damages or assess punitive action is the courts. The courts are a part of the government last time I checked my high school civics textbook. Remember the three branches of government from high school civics? Legislative, Executive and Judicial. It seems that circuitous logical path that one takes to argue that the courts are not bound by the Bill of Rights in civil cases is similar to those who argue that it is illegal for the government to levy taxes on income when there is a constitutional amendment that empowers it to do so. I know... I am removing my dog from this fight too. Call your next case.

Dooj, I offered the Abramoff example because it is not only generally known he did engage in bribery, he is going to jail because of it and several members of Congress are either going to jail, have resigned in disgrace or have been recently ousted in the election earlier this month. Your post expounds on the point I made about protected speech except in the cases of slander and clear and present danger to public safety. Regarding slander the Supreme Court has held I believe in Westmoreland v. CBS that in order to prove slander the party bringing suit must not only prove falsehood but prove malice also.

It does apply to the freedom to openly criticize the government but it is not limited to that. If it did only apply to the government, then Jack Abramoff could sue the New York Times for uncovering his bribery.

Greasytech, You said that outside of government action there is no free speech. That is simply not true. You may speak out on a virtual plethora of topics, say some outrageous things like .... must taste good because 200 billion flies can't all be wrong and still be within your rights. If you are a movie critic and you just trash a picture, its your opinion. Should the producer, director, actors and studio be able to take you to court? I think not. You could even say Sudo didn't give you enough novacaine or silly gas and hurt you during a procedure. Should he be able to recover damages from you? NO! Why? Because it's your opinion and everyone has a right to their opinion and the freedom to express it. It's guaranteed but I will allow that some are trying to chip away at fundamental liberties. There are two exceptions that the courts have held that are limits on free speech. I have already mentioned clear and present danger (yelling FIRE! in a crowded theatre) and although I didn't mention it immediately above I believe I did mention it on an earlier post on this thread-slander which is lying for the purpose of destroying someone's reputation. I will allow that intent does matter only in this narrow context of slander. Otherwise, as far as freedom of speech guarantees, it is irrelevant as it is in the Michael Richards case.

Q: Why won't sharks eat lawyers? A: Professional courtesy. Q: Why are graduate psychology are using lawyers rather than animals in their studies? A: They didn't become attached to the lawyers. Q: What do you call a bus that was bound for a ABA convention with few empty seats going over the side of a mountain. A: A good start but missed opportunity all at the same time. "May your life be filled with lawyers." Mexican curse

No where! I was busy writing up orders for wine and beer for the stores.

Intent? Ofcourse as a matter of taste intent matters. However, intent is irrelevant with respect to Sudo's lament at the beginning of this thread regarding civil damages as a result of Michael Richards uttering the N word in his stand up routine being recovered by the complainants. What matters is absent of a clear and present danger to public safety, speech is protected by the First Amendment. Nope. The First Amendment says nothing about protected speech being limited to political discourse. This is what it says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Petitioning the Government for a redress of grievances is in addition to rather than limiting the foregoing guarantees solely to political discourse. Please note the "and" that precedes the "redress of grievances" clause.

Sudo, Surprise! I agree with you on this one. Although I find the use of any ethnic slur offensive and disgusting, I do not agree that bigots giving voice to their putrid contents of their minds should be a legally actionable matter. Michael Richards, using the N word in a comedy act does not meet the tests of presenting a clear and present danger or slander as the Supreme Court has ruled. I don't know the context in which he used the word in his act but if he did use it in a demeaning manner, he should be subject to the court of public opinion and not to a court of law. We need to be very careful that we differentiate between hate speech and hate action. Besides, bigots uttering hateful epithets pronounce their own sentences. Should we redact the usuage of the N word in Huckleberry Finn or change the title of The Nigger of Narcissus by Joseph Conrad?

Happy anniversary!

oops

Sabres beat the 'Canes tonight 7-4. I like last years Sabres logo.

It is clearly a mistake. It should have read that he will not run for MINORITY leader.

To all Vets here at GSC. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I liked his Okie similes like... Spread out like a cow wizzin' on a flat rock. Anyone remember any others?

Eddie and I plotting strategy playing battleship. We get to go a bowling and pizza party with all the mentors and students next Monday!!! OMG. I need to get back into the gym.

This week I met Eddie at the street corner that he covers on safety patrol. I waited with him at the corner for ten minutes while a light snow fell. Eddie was working the corner with Rosalinda, also a fifth grader in Ms. St. Germaine's class. Rosalinda is a adorable young lady with beautiful thick, curly jet black hair. I asked her if she had a mentor. She said that she asked for one for the past two years but as of yet has had none. I couldn't help to imagine what the future may hold for this innocent Mexican girl from a poor neighborhood who has been passed over and how different that future may be if she had a mentor who was willing to invest one hour a week in her life. While we waited at the corner. This kid approached the corner studying me up and down. "Is that your mentor?" he asked Eddie. Actually, given his facial expression his question sounded more like, "Is THAT your mentor?" disapprovingly. LOL. Eddie and I walked back to the building in the light snow. There is a chessboard in the little room that we have our sessions so I asked him if he would like to learn how to play. "Yes!", he said. I told him I can show him how to move the pieces and the object of the game. So we spent the hour doing that. When we came out of the meeting, Ms. Hernandez, the principal told Eddie that he needed to wait for his parents because she needed to talk to them. I asked if I could wait so I could meet them. "Sure", she said. Apparently Eddie got into a fight that broke out when he hit a kid in the back of the head playing dodgeball. The kid who was much smaller than Eddie stormed him. Oh boy, fifth grade boys and their raging hormones. Eddie's mom showed up at the last minute before Ms. Hernandez was about to leave. She introduced me her. I told her in spanish that she has a bright child.