New Donations Policy

We had a Garage Sale (Yard Sale for our US cousins) today. Mostly it was just the usual junk that isn't used or wanted - only horded away "just in case".

We've had them before, over the years. But this year marks a First Ever inclusion - books. Until now, I'd always given our 'pre-loved' books to whatever library I was working in.

As we are a family of diverse reading preferences, our cast-offs generally help fill a number of gaps in various collections.

This year, things have changed. Over the last four years, I've donated over 2000 bucks worth of books to a Library of My Acquaintance. As they say, "no good deed goes unpunished" ... those who know what's going on will understand. The others will just have to wait for my official autobiography. Which, I suggest, you will need to read sitting down. The movie rights are still open for negotiation.

Anyways, although only getting a dollar or two for books that cost over $40 originally, any funds raised will go towards additions to our Home Library. Seems fair to me.

Justice for all?

He was 14 yrs. 6mos. and 5 days old --- and the youngest person executed in the United States in the 20th Century

In a South Carolina prison sixty-six years ago, guards walked a 14-year-old boy, bible tucked under his arm, to the electric chair. At 5' 1" and 95 pounds, the straps didn’t fit, and an electrode was too big for his leg. Now, a community activist is fighting to clear Stinney’s name ... You can read the rest of the news report here.

Sixty years later, and folk are now interested in the truth. It'll scare you - especially when you find out that this is still going on now, and where YOU live.

Here in Australia, a hundred years after his execution, Harry "Breaker" Morant may receive a posthumous pardon (see here) following the investigation of new evidence by Australian Navy Commander James Unkles.

However, the British government, who conducted the trial in 1902, refused to grant the pardon (see here). Australian Navy Commander James Unkles commented ''It is pathetic. Dr Fox appears to have been advised by a group of faceless public servants. The responsee does not address the legal issues involved. We will grind on until this matter is the subject of judicial review. This is only the beginning."

Is this our new poster-boy for justice? The South Carolina case re-opened after 60 years, "Breaker Morant's" steamrolling investigated after more than 100 years.

Meanwhile, here and now in this state, if a government employee gets "investigated" due to malicious and spiteful complaints by a manager - you're likely to be found "guilty" - based on no evidence at all and exclusively heresay - even to the extent of ignoring the recommendations of its own internal investigator. Cases won't be reopened even only months after they've been closed - regardless of how compelling the evidence or how many primary witnesses come forth unsolicited.

Anecdotal evidence together with mainstream media reports would seem to indicate that the incidence of suicide by public servants is escalating. (Interestingly, the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not record the occupations of suicides.) Would a firing squad ultimately be more humane?