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Posted: October 6, 2012 - 7:10am
Updated: October 6, 2012 - 9:18am
Firefighters from Shawnee and Merriam are on scene of an apartment building fire this morning.
The call was dispatched just at 7:02 a.m. at 13901 W 63rd Terrace at Cottonwood Park Apartments.
A caller reported that the bathroom ceiling was on fire. Police arrived to report visible fire in the bathroom and began evacuating the building.
Firefighters arrived and located fire in a bathroom wall on the third floor, with extension to the attic. Crews have confirmed that all of the apartments in the building are evacuated.
Crews reported the fire to be under control at 7:22 a.m.
Shawnee Fire Chief John Mattox said Investigators are at the scene but, it appears the fire may have been burning for several hours in the attic space before it was noticed by a resident. Damage was contained to one apartment, all other residents are expected to be able to return home this afternoon.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.
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13 Ekim 2012 Cumartesi
Lawrence man killed in early morning accident
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Posted: October 7, 2012 - 2:56am
Updated: October 8, 2012 - 3:54am
Deputies say David Leroy Smart was driving northbound near the 2000 block of County Road 1045 when his 1997 Chevrolet truck drifted into a ditch and struck a culvert.
Sergeant Steve Lewis tells the Journal-World that Mr. Smart was pronounced dead at 3:52 a.m. by emergency room staff at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
No other information is currently being released.
Deputies arrived at the scene to find on vehicle had left the roadway and crashed into a culvert. The driver of the vehicle sustained critical injuries and was pinned in the crash.
Fire Medical crews arrived to report the vehicle on its side off of the roadway with "major damage." Medical crews confirmed the driver to be pinned with critical injuries and immediately requested a LifeStar helicopter respond to the scene.
Crews worked approximately 30 minutes to extricate the injured driver from the vehicle.
At 3:30, LifeStar's pilot reported that the patient had "coded", meaning they had stopped breathing, and that the injured person would be transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital by ground ambulance. LifeStar's medic crew rode on the ambulance to assist with patient care.
Sheriff's Deputies closed all lanes of E 1400 Road between N 2000 Road and N 2100 Road and LifeStar was landed on the roadway. The roadway remains closed as the accident investigation continues. Deputies have requested public works to bring barricades to assist with blocking the roadway.
No other details or updates were immediately available.
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Updated: October 8, 2012 - 3:54am
Update:
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office confirms to Operation 100 News reporting partners at the Lawrence Journal-World that at 34-year-old Lawrence man was killed in this accident at 2:10 a.m..Deputies say David Leroy Smart was driving northbound near the 2000 block of County Road 1045 when his 1997 Chevrolet truck drifted into a ditch and struck a culvert.
Sergeant Steve Lewis tells the Journal-World that Mr. Smart was pronounced dead at 3:52 a.m. by emergency room staff at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
No other information is currently being released.
Original report: Last updated October 7, 2012 - 4:25am
Douglas County Sheriff's Deputies and Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical crews were called just before 2:30 to the 2000 block of E 1400 Road (County Road 1045) for a single vehicle accident.Deputies arrived at the scene to find on vehicle had left the roadway and crashed into a culvert. The driver of the vehicle sustained critical injuries and was pinned in the crash.
Fire Medical crews arrived to report the vehicle on its side off of the roadway with "major damage." Medical crews confirmed the driver to be pinned with critical injuries and immediately requested a LifeStar helicopter respond to the scene.
Crews worked approximately 30 minutes to extricate the injured driver from the vehicle.
At 3:30, LifeStar's pilot reported that the patient had "coded", meaning they had stopped breathing, and that the injured person would be transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital by ground ambulance. LifeStar's medic crew rode on the ambulance to assist with patient care.
Sheriff's Deputies closed all lanes of E 1400 Road between N 2000 Road and N 2100 Road and LifeStar was landed on the roadway. The roadway remains closed as the accident investigation continues. Deputies have requested public works to bring barricades to assist with blocking the roadway.
No other details or updates were immediately available.
Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.
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Firefighters rescue woman from Johnson County well
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Posted: October 7, 2012 - 2:12pm
Updated: October 7, 2012 - 2:39pm
Firefighters from two area departments rescued a woman from a Johnson County well this afternoon.
Crews from the Merriam and Overland Park Fire Department's were called to an address in the 9800 block of Hocker Drive in Merriam at 1:56 Sunday afternoon.
Merriam Firefighters reported the victim, a 72-year-old female, fell into a 20 foot well, which contained approximately 10 feet of water. Crews were able to lower a flotation device to the woman until they could setup rescue equipment.
Officials say the woman was alert and talking to rescuers throughout the ordeal.
Crews had the woman removed from the well in under 10 minutes. She was transported by Johnson County Med-Act to an area trauma center to be checked out. Her injuries were not said to be serious.
Fire crews say they have covered the well.
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Updated: October 7, 2012 - 2:39pm
Firefighters from two area departments rescued a woman from a Johnson County well this afternoon.
Crews from the Merriam and Overland Park Fire Department's were called to an address in the 9800 block of Hocker Drive in Merriam at 1:56 Sunday afternoon.
Merriam Firefighters reported the victim, a 72-year-old female, fell into a 20 foot well, which contained approximately 10 feet of water. Crews were able to lower a flotation device to the woman until they could setup rescue equipment.
Officials say the woman was alert and talking to rescuers throughout the ordeal.
Crews had the woman removed from the well in under 10 minutes. She was transported by Johnson County Med-Act to an area trauma center to be checked out. Her injuries were not said to be serious.
Fire crews say they have covered the well.
Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.
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Firefighters rescue cat from early-morning fire
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Posted: October 8, 2012 - 6:08am
Updated: October 9, 2012 - 12:48am
Lawrence Fire crews were dispatched on report of smoke alarms sounding at 312 Bowstring Drive at 5:46 Monday morning. The address is just north of the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and Princeton Boulevard.
A caller to 911 reported visible smoke inside the residence. Police arrived at the scene to report flames visible from the south side of the home. Firefighters reported flames showing from the second floor of a two story, single family residence.
A statement released Monday afternoon says all occupants evacuated the structure prior to Fire Department arrival. The fire was quickly extinguished and an all clear under control was declared at 6:11 a.m..
Officials say one cat was rescued, however an additional cat succumbed from the conditions of the incident.
The Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross has been contacted to provide assistance for the displaced occupants.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation and damage estimates are not yet available.
No injuries were reported.
Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.
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Updated: October 9, 2012 - 12:48am
Lawrence Fire crews were dispatched on report of smoke alarms sounding at 312 Bowstring Drive at 5:46 Monday morning. The address is just north of the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and Princeton Boulevard.
A caller to 911 reported visible smoke inside the residence. Police arrived at the scene to report flames visible from the south side of the home. Firefighters reported flames showing from the second floor of a two story, single family residence.
A statement released Monday afternoon says all occupants evacuated the structure prior to Fire Department arrival. The fire was quickly extinguished and an all clear under control was declared at 6:11 a.m..
Officials say one cat was rescued, however an additional cat succumbed from the conditions of the incident.
The Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross has been contacted to provide assistance for the displaced occupants.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation and damage estimates are not yet available.
No injuries were reported.
Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.
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Several early morning burglaries in Johnson County
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Posted: October 12, 2012 - 4:43am
Updated: October 12, 2012 - 5:12am
Police say they responded on a burglary alarm at 2:40 a.m.. Arriving officers found a vehicle backed into the front of the Apple Store at 4529 W. 119th Street #283. Authorities suspect the vehicle to be stolen.
Police say no arrests have been made and the vehicle has been towed from the scene.
Police say they responded on a burglary alarm around 3 a.m. in the 11400 block of Strang Line Road. Arriving officers found that front glass on the building was damaged enough for someone to have possibly made entry.
Officers established a perimeter in the area before clearing the interior of the building.
A K-9 unit from the Olathe Police Department also responded to assist in the search. No one was found inside the business or in the surrounding area. No arrests have been made.
Police located several vehicles which were burglarized within a four block area.
Officers requested assistance from the Shawnee Police Department's K-9 unit and one additional patrol unit from the Fairway Police Department. Officers determined that there was no loss worth deploying the K-9 in a search for.
Police conducted a vehicle stop near 75th Street and Delmar Street which was suspected to be related to the auto burglaries. Officers checked three juvenile occupants and eventually released them to their parents. Police did not make any arrests.
Anyone with information in any of these incidents is urged to call local Police or the TIPS Hotline (816)474-8477.
Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard these stories first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.
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Updated: October 12, 2012 - 5:12am
Leawood Apple Store burglarized with help of a vehicle
Leawood Police are investigating a burglary at the Apple Store early this morning.Police say they responded on a burglary alarm at 2:40 a.m.. Arriving officers found a vehicle backed into the front of the Apple Store at 4529 W. 119th Street #283. Authorities suspect the vehicle to be stolen.
Police say no arrests have been made and the vehicle has been towed from the scene.
Lenexa business burglarized
Lenexa Police were are also investigating a burglary this morning.Police say they responded on a burglary alarm around 3 a.m. in the 11400 block of Strang Line Road. Arriving officers found that front glass on the building was damaged enough for someone to have possibly made entry.
Officers established a perimeter in the area before clearing the interior of the building.
A K-9 unit from the Olathe Police Department also responded to assist in the search. No one was found inside the business or in the surrounding area. No arrests have been made.
Prairie Village auto burglaries
Prairie Village Police were called to the area of 78th Street and Roe Avenue around 3:45 a.m..Police located several vehicles which were burglarized within a four block area.
Officers requested assistance from the Shawnee Police Department's K-9 unit and one additional patrol unit from the Fairway Police Department. Officers determined that there was no loss worth deploying the K-9 in a search for.
Police conducted a vehicle stop near 75th Street and Delmar Street which was suspected to be related to the auto burglaries. Officers checked three juvenile occupants and eventually released them to their parents. Police did not make any arrests.
Anyone with information in any of these incidents is urged to call local Police or the TIPS Hotline (816)474-8477.
Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard these stories first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.
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12 Ekim 2012 Cuma
Whale Sharks! Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa
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In the midst of the madness of a new school year, Nana and I are reaching back to catch up on some stuff from the spring and early summer.
Nana and I both have a thing for aquariums, and I especially have a thing for whale sharks. They're huge, slow, graceful, and dumb enough that they don't suffer from being stuck in a giant tank.
In Taiwan, we visited Kenting's National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium largely because it's one of the few places in the world where you can see a whale shark in captivity. In Okinawa, we rented a car for a scenic drive to the Churaumi Aquarium, a sprawling complex tucked away on a remote peninsula in the north-western part of the island.
Totally worth it, for three reasons:
The catwalk above the tank was especially fun. The manta rays make great noises when they break the surface of the water, and you can't quite tell how enormous they are until they're passing directly underneath you.
Also, a giant cartoon topiary whale shark. Because this is still Japan.
Nana and I both have a thing for aquariums, and I especially have a thing for whale sharks. They're huge, slow, graceful, and dumb enough that they don't suffer from being stuck in a giant tank.
In Taiwan, we visited Kenting's National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium largely because it's one of the few places in the world where you can see a whale shark in captivity. In Okinawa, we rented a car for a scenic drive to the Churaumi Aquarium, a sprawling complex tucked away on a remote peninsula in the north-western part of the island.
Totally worth it, for three reasons:
- Giant manta rays.
- A catwalk where you can look down on the big tank from above.
- THREE FREAKIN' WHALE SHARKS.
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| Count 'em. Three! |
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| Me, standing directly under a %@$& whale shark. |
Also, a giant cartoon topiary whale shark. Because this is still Japan. |
| Thar she doesn't blow (because she's a fish and has gills)! |
Sapporo's Unseasonal Seasonal Beer
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The Japanese are obsessed with seasons. And the marketing people know it: tons of mass-produced stuff comes in limited-edition seasonal varieties. (We're especially fond of our seasonal wall-hangings.)
The problem is, many of these seasonal varieties are pretty much the same thing you get the rest of the year. Honestly, when you think of "autumn-flavored beer," it ain't straw-colored light lager that comes to mind. This is baseball and barbecue beer I'm talking about. Bad form, Sapporo, bad form - you really ought to change a lot more than the can!
The problem is, many of these seasonal varieties are pretty much the same thing you get the rest of the year. Honestly, when you think of "autumn-flavored beer," it ain't straw-colored light lager that comes to mind. This is baseball and barbecue beer I'm talking about. Bad form, Sapporo, bad form - you really ought to change a lot more than the can!
The Toilets of Asia: Narita Airport and Japanese Techno-Toilets
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Toilet type: Western seated, techno-seat
Gender: Men's
Location: Narita Airport terminal
Noted for: "equipment to cleansing the buttocks with warm water."
No, really:
The Japanese have an obsession with toilet technology. So much so that there is a TEDx presentation inspired by them (best quotes- "It's as if the toilet is saying 'Welcome!'" "And this kind of highly skilled robot [toilet] also has a warm heart." "You become worried that you can't live without this toilet.")
Did you know that a self-heating toilet seat can be programmed to heat within 6 seconds because yes, the Japanese have gathered marketing data to prove that most people are seated within 6 seconds of arriving in the stall? You better bet I'm timing myself next time.
Most articles about techno-toilets reference the Japanese interest in cleanliness as a reason for the toilets. As the TEDx talk states, the goal is to create a restroom experience in which you actually don't have to touch anything, from automated toilet lids to cleaning to flushing to the sinks. I also read elsewhere, and I can't find it now, that the Japanese invest in toilets because in many small homes, the toilet is the only place where you can get some "alone time." People therefore go a little overboard spoiling themselves. I've fallen dearly in love with my toilet's seat heater function, although mine is not of the six-second variety and must be left on in the winter. (Actually, the seat heater is more important here than in the US as well because of the tendency not to use central heating. Your toilet seat therefore reaches temperatures at which you fear A Christmas Story-style fusion of your hapless buttock flesh).
So those are good aspects of techno-toilets. On the other hand, now that the idea is spreading, things like this Korean commercial happen:
And I'm not sure I can forgive Japan for that.
Gender: Men's
Location: Narita Airport terminal
Noted for: "equipment to cleansing the buttocks with warm water."
No, really:
 |
| You have to speak four languages just to go to the bathroom. |
Did you know that a self-heating toilet seat can be programmed to heat within 6 seconds because yes, the Japanese have gathered marketing data to prove that most people are seated within 6 seconds of arriving in the stall? You better bet I'm timing myself next time.
 |
| Also, looking for a bidet while out on the town? There's an app for that! |
So those are good aspects of techno-toilets. On the other hand, now that the idea is spreading, things like this Korean commercial happen:
And I'm not sure I can forgive Japan for that.
A trip to Osaka: Elisabeth/エリザベート the musical, and Prince Rudolf Hello Kitty
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Justin and I had a three-day weekend in September. I have an obsession with musical theater which matches my obsession with history. Elisabeth the musical (called エリザベート, or Erizabeto, in Japanese) was playing in Osaka. Peach Airlines has recently introduced service between Fukuoka and Kansai Airport, which gets us there faster and more cheaply than the shinkansen (bullet train).
Such a confluence of serendipity could not be ignored. 大阪行���ょ�! Let's go to Osaka!
Elisabeth is absolutely the best musical to have never been done in English. It has been done in German, Hungarian, Korean, Finnish, Dutch, Swedish, and Japanese, and Takarazuka alone has performed it seven times. Broadway, what gives? I think it would go over great in the US! Elisabeth is what Phantom of the Opera wants to be: a behemoth, Gothic, lushly-scored, supernatural, occasionally-over-the-top dark chocolate indulgence of a romantic, tragic musical (Interestingly, the recent Phantom movie basically costumed Christine as.... Elisabeth. Down to the hair ornaments. When your master's dissertation involves the analysis of film and stage costumes, this is the sort of thing you geek out about.)
The plot follows Elisabeth, who will be the last empress of Austria-Hungary, from her childhood through her unhappy marriage to Emperor Franz Josef and up to her assassination. (Sounds like a normal musical/opera plot so far). The story is narrated by her assassin Luigi Luccheni, who in vintage SAT parlance : Elisabeth as Che :: Evita. He's narrating from beyond the grave, where he is on trial for the murder. (Getting weirder). And his justification for murdering Elisabeth is that she wanted him to, as she has been involved in a life-long love affair with the personification of Death. (And you thought a guy with half an ugly face is creepy? Bush league, Phantom. Bush league.)
This musical is an endurance test for the cast, clocking in around 3 hours. This is probably why for the three month summer tour, Toho cast two Elisabeths and three Deaths (along with others). I was incredibly excited to find out that Máté Kamarás was one of the Deaths. Kamarás is famous as Death from the Vienna 2004 version, which I fell in love with on Youtube. (It amuses me that this user's fan subtitles, rather than being smited with DMCA takedowns, are actually endorsed on the composer's own English-language workshop site.)
And Máté Kamarás is not my only favorite Death actor appearing in the Osaka Elisabeth. Sena Jun is, too. She played Death back in 2009. Yes, she - Sena Jun is a Takarasienne. She's the only Takarasienne to have played Death, Elisabeth, and Luccheni, which probably means she's the only person in the world to do it, since, you know, most other places don't let you play other genders. Actually, her Death is one of my favorites, and I'm bummed that except for this fuzzy recording, it seems to have disappeared from Youtube. In Osaka, she was one of the two Elisabeths.
The other Elisabeth, Haruno Sumire, is another former Takarasienne, who also played Death. So if Kamarás breaks a leg or something, there'll be plenty of backup.
With the help of our music teacher buddy Aki, we got tickets for the showing at which both Sena Jun and Máté Kamarás were performing, and man, it was fabulous. I mean, the show was great, regardless. Justin had no previous experience and enjoyed it a lot. But for me, it was just so cool to see in person an actor and actress whom I've admired on Youtube for oh, three years now? Which I suppose is why that composer leaves the clips up - I'd never have paid for a ticket, let alone flown all the way to Osaka for the show, if it hadn't been for those versions. Maybe Takarazuka could get those Sena Jun clips back up??
I actually preferred Kamarás live in the Osaka production - he has a tendency in the Vienna to get a little campy, with the growls and the hisses. Maybe they sound different in German. Anyway, he didn't go so over the top in the Osaka production. Which he memorized in Japanese, which was also super cool, seeing as I've been here a lot longer and am not close to memorizing three hours of Japanese.
Sena Jun was great, and with charisma to burn. I'm impressed at how well her voice has held up after having to push it low all those years (although she didn't quite get to the high note at the end of Elisabeth's big power song "Ich Gehor Nur Mir" / "I Belong to Me," which I totally understand because it's such a hard jump in such a long show that basically nobody else hits it live either). I'm also impressed by her ability to get into the body language of different characters. If you saw the video above, she plays a strong, impassive physical presence as Death, but as Elisabeth she goes from girlish scampering to queenly processionals. I think being a male-role actress at Takarazuka teaches you how to hold a stage, and you can do it whether or not you stay with your male body language training.
And what about the music? Here are a few of my favorites:
If all you want is a taster of the musical, I suggest popping in for this sequence: "Kitsch," "Ejen," and "Wenn Ich Tanzen Will." "Kitsch" is a rock opera masterpiece, and the vocalist Serkan Kaya is a god. Ejen gets you into "Wenn Ich Tanzen Will," which just oozes with Elisabeth and Death's dramatic love/hate dynamic, with an awesome bolero drumbeat. (If you want to get REALLY gender studies on the whole thing, you can compare/contrast the Vienna "Wenn" with the Takarazuka "Watashi Ga Odoru.' Takarazuka takes the vocal lead from Elisabeth and gives it to Death, plus they strip the aggressive tension out of the choreography, to the point that the principals don't actually touch. Although no other versions take away Elisabeth's vocal lead, both the Osaka version and some of the other German versions retained more physical space. I don't think the Vienna choreography is perfect, but I definitely think it does the most to visually bring out the conflict in the song. I also appreciate the fact that the vocalists don't sing like they're marching.)
I also really love “Die Schatten Werden Länger”/”The Shadows Grow Deeper." It has that super-dramatic rock opera sound you associate with the main song of Phantom. The live version is so much more intense than Youtube's cruddy sound can replicate - it's a literal seat shaker, especially once you add the massive chorus of the dead and Death's minions, who go shirtless at the Osaka production. Who doesn’t want to see Death seduce the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne? Especially if there are capering shirtless minions? (Who, by the way, were some of the best dancers I've ever seen live, shirtless or otherwise).
Which brings me to my final point. Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary is best known for his murder-suicide (or was it?) with his mistress Marie Vetsera at the Mayerling hunting lodge in 1889. This event removed a voice for liberal reform in the dual monarchy and left Franz Ferdinand heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. It is possible to consider Rudolf's death one of the long-term causes of World War 1.
The Japanese commemorate this with Hello Kitty merchandise.
Too soon?
Such a confluence of serendipity could not be ignored. 大阪行���ょ�! Let's go to Osaka!
Elisabeth is absolutely the best musical to have never been done in English. It has been done in German, Hungarian, Korean, Finnish, Dutch, Swedish, and Japanese, and Takarazuka alone has performed it seven times. Broadway, what gives? I think it would go over great in the US! Elisabeth is what Phantom of the Opera wants to be: a behemoth, Gothic, lushly-scored, supernatural, occasionally-over-the-top dark chocolate indulgence of a romantic, tragic musical (Interestingly, the recent Phantom movie basically costumed Christine as.... Elisabeth. Down to the hair ornaments. When your master's dissertation involves the analysis of film and stage costumes, this is the sort of thing you geek out about.)
The plot follows Elisabeth, who will be the last empress of Austria-Hungary, from her childhood through her unhappy marriage to Emperor Franz Josef and up to her assassination. (Sounds like a normal musical/opera plot so far). The story is narrated by her assassin Luigi Luccheni, who in vintage SAT parlance : Elisabeth as Che :: Evita. He's narrating from beyond the grave, where he is on trial for the murder. (Getting weirder). And his justification for murdering Elisabeth is that she wanted him to, as she has been involved in a life-long love affair with the personification of Death. (And you thought a guy with half an ugly face is creepy? Bush league, Phantom. Bush league.)
This musical is an endurance test for the cast, clocking in around 3 hours. This is probably why for the three month summer tour, Toho cast two Elisabeths and three Deaths (along with others). I was incredibly excited to find out that Máté Kamarás was one of the Deaths. Kamarás is famous as Death from the Vienna 2004 version, which I fell in love with on Youtube. (It amuses me that this user's fan subtitles, rather than being smited with DMCA takedowns, are actually endorsed on the composer's own English-language workshop site.)
And Máté Kamarás is not my only favorite Death actor appearing in the Osaka Elisabeth. Sena Jun is, too. She played Death back in 2009. Yes, she - Sena Jun is a Takarasienne. She's the only Takarasienne to have played Death, Elisabeth, and Luccheni, which probably means she's the only person in the world to do it, since, you know, most other places don't let you play other genders. Actually, her Death is one of my favorites, and I'm bummed that except for this fuzzy recording, it seems to have disappeared from Youtube. In Osaka, she was one of the two Elisabeths.
 |
| Sena Jun as Death and as Elisabeth, from (here and here) |
 |
| Interchangeable. (Images from here and here) |
I actually preferred Kamarás live in the Osaka production - he has a tendency in the Vienna to get a little campy, with the growls and the hisses. Maybe they sound different in German. Anyway, he didn't go so over the top in the Osaka production. Which he memorized in Japanese, which was also super cool, seeing as I've been here a lot longer and am not close to memorizing three hours of Japanese.
Sena Jun was great, and with charisma to burn. I'm impressed at how well her voice has held up after having to push it low all those years (although she didn't quite get to the high note at the end of Elisabeth's big power song "Ich Gehor Nur Mir" / "I Belong to Me," which I totally understand because it's such a hard jump in such a long show that basically nobody else hits it live either). I'm also impressed by her ability to get into the body language of different characters. If you saw the video above, she plays a strong, impassive physical presence as Death, but as Elisabeth she goes from girlish scampering to queenly processionals. I think being a male-role actress at Takarazuka teaches you how to hold a stage, and you can do it whether or not you stay with your male body language training.
And what about the music? Here are a few of my favorites:
If all you want is a taster of the musical, I suggest popping in for this sequence: "Kitsch," "Ejen," and "Wenn Ich Tanzen Will." "Kitsch" is a rock opera masterpiece, and the vocalist Serkan Kaya is a god. Ejen gets you into "Wenn Ich Tanzen Will," which just oozes with Elisabeth and Death's dramatic love/hate dynamic, with an awesome bolero drumbeat. (If you want to get REALLY gender studies on the whole thing, you can compare/contrast the Vienna "Wenn" with the Takarazuka "Watashi Ga Odoru.' Takarazuka takes the vocal lead from Elisabeth and gives it to Death, plus they strip the aggressive tension out of the choreography, to the point that the principals don't actually touch. Although no other versions take away Elisabeth's vocal lead, both the Osaka version and some of the other German versions retained more physical space. I don't think the Vienna choreography is perfect, but I definitely think it does the most to visually bring out the conflict in the song. I also appreciate the fact that the vocalists don't sing like they're marching.)
I also really love “Die Schatten Werden Länger”/”The Shadows Grow Deeper." It has that super-dramatic rock opera sound you associate with the main song of Phantom. The live version is so much more intense than Youtube's cruddy sound can replicate - it's a literal seat shaker, especially once you add the massive chorus of the dead and Death's minions, who go shirtless at the Osaka production. Who doesn’t want to see Death seduce the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne? Especially if there are capering shirtless minions? (Who, by the way, were some of the best dancers I've ever seen live, shirtless or otherwise).
Which brings me to my final point. Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary is best known for his murder-suicide (or was it?) with his mistress Marie Vetsera at the Mayerling hunting lodge in 1889. This event removed a voice for liberal reform in the dual monarchy and left Franz Ferdinand heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. It is possible to consider Rudolf's death one of the long-term causes of World War 1.
The Japanese commemorate this with Hello Kitty merchandise.
 |
| I bought the folder. There is also a keychain and a stuffed toy. |
Osaka Castle: Justin *is* Toyotomi Hideyoshi
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Toyotomi Hideyoshi was kind of a big deal. Building on the accomplishments of Oda Nobunaga before him, Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan through a combination of military prowess and shrewd diplomacy (though more of the former than the latter, in most cases). Although his clan's reign lasted only a generation, he established the foundation of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which would rule Japan from the early 1600s until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
Basically, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the ultimate old-school samurai, and his rise through the ranks from peasant to warrior to rascal to lord of all Japan has made him one of the nation's great heroes.
Osaka Castle was one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's major strongholds. It was also the site of his son's last stand against Tokugawa Ieyasu, erstwhile ally and founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. While the old castle has been destroyed several times over, a relatively careful reconstruction of the main tower sits on the old site, and of course the sprawling moats and battlements will take more than a few hundred years and one world war to destroy.
Today, the castle and its grounds form an enormous park right in the busy modern heart of Osaka. The main tower is now a museum dedicated largely to the story of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his clan.
The museum itself is nothing spectacular. A lot of the exhibits are in Japanese only, though there were some really great videos on the castle and on some of the old screen paintings depicting major battles in the history of the Toyotomi clan.
The view from the top was nice, though.
Oh, yeah - and I paid a few hundred yen to dress up like Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
All in all, not a bad way to spend a beautiful late-summer day!
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was kind of a big deal. Building on the accomplishments of Oda Nobunaga before him, Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan through a combination of military prowess and shrewd diplomacy (though more of the former than the latter, in most cases). Although his clan's reign lasted only a generation, he established the foundation of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which would rule Japan from the early 1600s until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
Basically, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the ultimate old-school samurai, and his rise through the ranks from peasant to warrior to rascal to lord of all Japan has made him one of the nation's great heroes.
Osaka Castle was one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's major strongholds. It was also the site of his son's last stand against Tokugawa Ieyasu, erstwhile ally and founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. While the old castle has been destroyed several times over, a relatively careful reconstruction of the main tower sits on the old site, and of course the sprawling moats and battlements will take more than a few hundred years and one world war to destroy.
 |
| Though some of us may have tried our best. |
Today, the castle and its grounds form an enormous park right in the busy modern heart of Osaka. The main tower is now a museum dedicated largely to the story of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his clan.
The museum itself is nothing spectacular. A lot of the exhibits are in Japanese only, though there were some really great videos on the castle and on some of the old screen paintings depicting major battles in the history of the Toyotomi clan.The view from the top was nice, though.
Oh, yeah - and I paid a few hundred yen to dress up like Toyotomi Hideyoshi. |
| My war face. |
 |
| My "Oh my gosh this thing weighs a million pounds" face. |
11 Ekim 2012 Perşembe
Denton Texas College
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Escheat laws in Texas there are 174 state system universities, independent public universities-referred to as flagship universities. The state's largest university systems include University of Houston, University of North Texas, Texas State Aquarium. Other eminent Texas attractions include Buckhorn Saloon and Museum, Cathedral of Junk, Forbidden Gardens, Texas Prison Museum, Cascade Caverns and Ezekiel Airship.
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Lumber In Texas
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As oil and production in Texas with about one-fourth of all U.S. gas production located in San Antonio. During the lumber in texas. It remembered the lumber in texas a state of US mainly after a series of devastating battles, which include the lumber in texas, which is designed to lower your electric bill might mean shopping around for a 6 month, 1 year or 2 year electricity price. When signing up on a customer's preference. Of course, when looking for revenge after last year's squad. The defense will be great, but the lumber in texas an option for most bad credit most electricity companies in 2007 alone. This number is staggering. While every state has been scant regarding the lumber in texas a million Americans who have been through bankruptcy court, largely due to medical bills. So, what will the lumber in texas for Texas?
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About Texas Deputy
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Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally
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Online Driver Safety! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.Everybody wants to pass their driver's exam on the first attempt, but not everyone is able to. It doesn't involve luck, either; whether you pass or not depends on how prepared you are and how much you learn beforehand. You need to pass both the written and road exams in order to get your license. The first is easier than the latter, so you need to study and practice extra hard in order to pass the road test.
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We had a good read. For the benefit of yourself. Be sure to read to the end. I want you to get good knowledge from Online Driver Safety.So, how can you get ready yourself? The most inescapable solution is to practice driving every singular day. However, you can also learn some secrets, such as the things the investigator will be watching for. There are a lot of resources available on the internet filled with driving test secrets and tips that you'll need to know in order to pass easily. Your Dmv handbook that you have only offers some information. The test will want a lot more knowledge.
All the added resources you'll need for passing can be found online, including secrets, tips, videos, simulation software, and so forth. There are also practice tests you can take. They're not only helpful for passing the written exam, but the road test as well. This is because some of the questions pertain to the things you should and shouldn't do when taking road exam.
Even if you know everything, you still need to get ready you emotionally for the road test. For some, nervousness is the main contributing factor to whether they fail or pass. As such, you need to take things easy to night and morning before the test. Make sure you study well beforehand and don't try cramming whatever in your mind the last night. Eat breakfast, even if you don't feel like doing so. It'll furnish you with the energy you need to help fight anxiety. Being well prepared, rested, and fed are the keys to passing your driving test and getting your driver's license.
I hope you obtain new knowledge about Online Driver Safety. Where you may offer easy use in your evryday life. And just remember, your reaction is Online Driver Safety.View Related articles related to Online Driver Safety. I Roll below. I actually have counseled my friends to assist share the Facebook Twitter Like Tweet. Can you share Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally.10 Ekim 2012 Çarşamba
Twiddle-dee and Twiddle-dum
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Forget what you read in the papers or saw on the tube, the real winners from Wednesday's "debate" were Barack Romney and Mitt Obama. They were able to prevent any independent voices from appearing on the stage in Denver as they held their little soundbite-a-thon.
Both candidates deftly avoided talking about the plight of the poor (and the working poor) during the telecast. Mr. Obama raised his not-so populist flag as the champions of the amorphous and undefined middle class. He was concerned with how taxes and healthcare and education and social security would affect the nebulous middle class.
He never once raised Mr. Romney's comment about writing off 47% of the voting population because, well, to put it bluntly, he doesn't give a fuck about them either. They're certainly not the folks who are writing the big checks to the campaign.
As for Mr. Romney, his continued insistence that the market is the best regulator of health care and that the market will provide the means for reducing costs would be comical if people weren't buying it hook, line and sinker. You see, Mr. Romney, the market is what has allowed the cost of health care to escalate at a faster pace than the rate of inflation. To make the claim, with what passes for a straight face, that if we would just leave the market alone the cost of health care would fall to reasonable levels is quite the feat.
Neither man challenged the assumption that defense spending should be cut back significantly. While Mr. Romney calls for cutting every part of the budget except for defense, Mr. Obama is so scared of being labeled "soft" on defense that he refuses to consider serious cuts to the Pentagon's budget. If you want to cut the deficit - just slash the defense budget by 50%. Problem solved.
Neither candidate wanted to talk about the National Defense Authorization Act (and Jim Lehrer wasn't about to ask hard questions). Neither spoke out against the provisions allowing for indefinite detention for American citizens. Neither candidate spoke out about illegal wiretapping and domestic surveillance by the government. Despite a persistently high unemployment rate, neither candidate spoke of using federal dollars to revive the jobs programs of the New Deal.
Of course, had you watched, or listened to, Democracy Now!'s expanded coverage of the debate, you would have heard from the Green Party's candidate, Jill Stein, and the Justice Party's candidate, Rocky Anderson, answer the same questions asked of Obama and Romney. You would have heard two people talking about the real problems that face this country and not just the talking points handed out by the political operatives. You would have heard a discussion about health care and the single payer plan. You would have heard the candidates discussing the NDAA and its implications. You would have heard two candidates who haven't been bought by the corporate interests.
But most folks didn't because they have been socialized that the Republicrats and Democans, the Twiddle-dee and Twiddle-dum of the political world, are the only way to go. Part of the reason we are in this mess is because we have entrusted our future to two political organizations that care about nothing more than preserving their power and privilege in Washington.
Both candidates deftly avoided talking about the plight of the poor (and the working poor) during the telecast. Mr. Obama raised his not-so populist flag as the champions of the amorphous and undefined middle class. He was concerned with how taxes and healthcare and education and social security would affect the nebulous middle class.
He never once raised Mr. Romney's comment about writing off 47% of the voting population because, well, to put it bluntly, he doesn't give a fuck about them either. They're certainly not the folks who are writing the big checks to the campaign.
As for Mr. Romney, his continued insistence that the market is the best regulator of health care and that the market will provide the means for reducing costs would be comical if people weren't buying it hook, line and sinker. You see, Mr. Romney, the market is what has allowed the cost of health care to escalate at a faster pace than the rate of inflation. To make the claim, with what passes for a straight face, that if we would just leave the market alone the cost of health care would fall to reasonable levels is quite the feat.
Neither man challenged the assumption that defense spending should be cut back significantly. While Mr. Romney calls for cutting every part of the budget except for defense, Mr. Obama is so scared of being labeled "soft" on defense that he refuses to consider serious cuts to the Pentagon's budget. If you want to cut the deficit - just slash the defense budget by 50%. Problem solved.
Neither candidate wanted to talk about the National Defense Authorization Act (and Jim Lehrer wasn't about to ask hard questions). Neither spoke out against the provisions allowing for indefinite detention for American citizens. Neither candidate spoke out about illegal wiretapping and domestic surveillance by the government. Despite a persistently high unemployment rate, neither candidate spoke of using federal dollars to revive the jobs programs of the New Deal.
Of course, had you watched, or listened to, Democracy Now!'s expanded coverage of the debate, you would have heard from the Green Party's candidate, Jill Stein, and the Justice Party's candidate, Rocky Anderson, answer the same questions asked of Obama and Romney. You would have heard two people talking about the real problems that face this country and not just the talking points handed out by the political operatives. You would have heard a discussion about health care and the single payer plan. You would have heard the candidates discussing the NDAA and its implications. You would have heard two candidates who haven't been bought by the corporate interests.
But most folks didn't because they have been socialized that the Republicrats and Democans, the Twiddle-dee and Twiddle-dum of the political world, are the only way to go. Part of the reason we are in this mess is because we have entrusted our future to two political organizations that care about nothing more than preserving their power and privilege in Washington.
Does triple crown equal MVP?
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This season, the Detroit Tigers' third baseman, Miguel Cabrera, became the first player in 45 years to win baseball's Triple Crown. He did it by leading the American League in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. The last player to do that was Carl Yastrzemski back in 1967.
The feat is incredible. Generally sluggers are feast-and-famine style hitters. They have a fairly low batting average - but when they do hit the ball, they crush it.
But are those three categories the best way to determine who is the best offensive player in the league? And was Miguel Cabrera the best player in the AL? Because there are some who believe that Mike Trout of the California Angels was a more valuable player.
Batting average is important. The higher the average, the more balls a player has put into play and more opportunities he has created for his team to score. But the same can be said for players who draw walks. Billy Beane questioned whether it really matters how a player got on base. The important thing is he got on base and created the possibility of a run crossing the plate.
So maybe on-base percentage is a more important measurement of what a player brings to the plate. After all, the more a player gets on base, the fewer outs are used up - and outs are the most precious commodity in baseball.
For 2012, Mike Trout had the third-best OBP in the AL and Miguel Cabrera was fourth. The two leaders, Joe Mauer and Prince Fielder, both had OBP's almost 100 points above their batting averages (which means they took a lot of walks).
Slugging percentage (total bases divided by at-bats) is another way to measure the offensive output of a batter. Simply put, the higher the slugging percentage, the more the players are being moved around the bases. And the more the players move around the bases, the more runs light up on the scoreboard.
Miguel Cabrera led the AL in slugging percentage with a .606, while Mike Trout came in third with a .564.
If you take that on-base percentage and add it to the slugging percentage you come up with a metric baseball wonks know as OPS. And it is this metric that tells us how valuable a batter is at the plate. The higher the OPS, the more good stuff happens when the batter steps into the box.
One stat that is vastly overrated is the run batted in (RBI). RBI's are a function of what the other batters on the team are doing. If they aren't getting on base, then you aren't getting any RBI's. So, far from indicating how awesome a player is, a gaudy RBI number means that when he came up to bat there were men on the bases in front of him. The only RBI a batter can control is the one he gets when he crosses the plate over hitting one over the fence.
So, if we take a look at OPS for 2012, Miguel Cabrera still comes out ahead with an awe-inspiring .999. His closest competitor was Mike Trout with a .963. (Click here for the final stats from the 2012 regular season.)
Now there are those who look at even more arcane numbers such as a player's wins above replacement (WAR). But that is a measurement that includes a heaping spoonful of conjecture and subjectivity. The metric attempts to calculate how many more games a team won because a certain player was in the lineup.
If that is your cup of tea, the Mike Trout was the best player in the American League with a WAR of 10.7 to Miguel Cabrera's 6.9.
I have a hard time, however, worshiping at the altar of WAR because it purports to measure that which cannot be measured. While OPS measures what a player did at the plate, WAR tries to measure how much better a player did that the person who would have replaced him had he not played. And that's impossible to measure because we don't know what might have happened had our star player gone down with an injury.
For that reason I have to go along with Miguel Cabrera as the American League's Most Valuable Player for the 2012 campaign. He was tops in the sexy categories and tops in the category (OPS) that is best measure of how good a player is at the plate.
Mike Trout may have made the Angels better than they would have been otherwise, but statistics such as WAR and defensive stats are far too subjective and far too dependent on contingency than OPS. The point of Sabermetrics (and Billy Beane's "moneyball") was to get rid of the subjectivity in baseball and to base decisions on cold, hard, objective numbers.
By that measure, Miguel Cabrera deserves to take home the MVP trophy.
The feat is incredible. Generally sluggers are feast-and-famine style hitters. They have a fairly low batting average - but when they do hit the ball, they crush it.
But are those three categories the best way to determine who is the best offensive player in the league? And was Miguel Cabrera the best player in the AL? Because there are some who believe that Mike Trout of the California Angels was a more valuable player.
Batting average is important. The higher the average, the more balls a player has put into play and more opportunities he has created for his team to score. But the same can be said for players who draw walks. Billy Beane questioned whether it really matters how a player got on base. The important thing is he got on base and created the possibility of a run crossing the plate.
So maybe on-base percentage is a more important measurement of what a player brings to the plate. After all, the more a player gets on base, the fewer outs are used up - and outs are the most precious commodity in baseball.
For 2012, Mike Trout had the third-best OBP in the AL and Miguel Cabrera was fourth. The two leaders, Joe Mauer and Prince Fielder, both had OBP's almost 100 points above their batting averages (which means they took a lot of walks).
Slugging percentage (total bases divided by at-bats) is another way to measure the offensive output of a batter. Simply put, the higher the slugging percentage, the more the players are being moved around the bases. And the more the players move around the bases, the more runs light up on the scoreboard.
Miguel Cabrera led the AL in slugging percentage with a .606, while Mike Trout came in third with a .564.
If you take that on-base percentage and add it to the slugging percentage you come up with a metric baseball wonks know as OPS. And it is this metric that tells us how valuable a batter is at the plate. The higher the OPS, the more good stuff happens when the batter steps into the box.
One stat that is vastly overrated is the run batted in (RBI). RBI's are a function of what the other batters on the team are doing. If they aren't getting on base, then you aren't getting any RBI's. So, far from indicating how awesome a player is, a gaudy RBI number means that when he came up to bat there were men on the bases in front of him. The only RBI a batter can control is the one he gets when he crosses the plate over hitting one over the fence.
So, if we take a look at OPS for 2012, Miguel Cabrera still comes out ahead with an awe-inspiring .999. His closest competitor was Mike Trout with a .963. (Click here for the final stats from the 2012 regular season.)
Now there are those who look at even more arcane numbers such as a player's wins above replacement (WAR). But that is a measurement that includes a heaping spoonful of conjecture and subjectivity. The metric attempts to calculate how many more games a team won because a certain player was in the lineup.
If that is your cup of tea, the Mike Trout was the best player in the American League with a WAR of 10.7 to Miguel Cabrera's 6.9.
I have a hard time, however, worshiping at the altar of WAR because it purports to measure that which cannot be measured. While OPS measures what a player did at the plate, WAR tries to measure how much better a player did that the person who would have replaced him had he not played. And that's impossible to measure because we don't know what might have happened had our star player gone down with an injury.
For that reason I have to go along with Miguel Cabrera as the American League's Most Valuable Player for the 2012 campaign. He was tops in the sexy categories and tops in the category (OPS) that is best measure of how good a player is at the plate.
Mike Trout may have made the Angels better than they would have been otherwise, but statistics such as WAR and defensive stats are far too subjective and far too dependent on contingency than OPS. The point of Sabermetrics (and Billy Beane's "moneyball") was to get rid of the subjectivity in baseball and to base decisions on cold, hard, objective numbers.
By that measure, Miguel Cabrera deserves to take home the MVP trophy.
On hypocrisy and handouts
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Some things just never get old.
There are few things more ironic than politicians who accuse the poor of mooching off the state who have no problem dipping their hands into the taxpayer's pockets to pay for their jet-setting ways.
Gov. Rick Perry doesn't want to spend money on the poor. He doesn't want to expand Medicaid coverage. He doesn't want to increase education funding.
But, when it comes to out-of-state junkets, he is more than happy to bill the taxpayers for his security detail. Since his re-election in November 2010, the Fair-haired One has racked up $2.3 million in security charges for his travels. In the last quarter alone, after he shut down his disastrous presidential campaign, the taxpayers have forked out over $100,000 for his security detail in such places as Aspen, Boston and San Diego.
Of course I'm still waiting to see how any of those trips were necessary to his carrying out his duties as the chief executive of the Lone Star State.
Gov. Goodhair defends the expenses arguing that the world is a dangerous place and he must be under constant surveillance by state troopers. The only problem, Rick, is that most folks outside Texas wouldn't know you from Adam (just take a look at your numbers from the primaries). Furthermore, I doubt many terrorists have Perry in their sights in their quest for world domination.
What the Guv seems to have forgotten is that Texas has a weak governor system dating back to the end of Reconstruction and the desire of Texans to be out from under the thumb of the federal government. The real power broker in Austin is the lieutenant governor. He is the one who appoints committee chairs and breaks tie votes in the senate. The governor is reduced to signing or vetoing legislation and calling special sessions of the state legislature.
Not much to see there. If the terrorists really wanted to disrupt operations in Austin, they'd be better off targeting the lieutenant governor. But, since the legislature only meets for 140 days every other year, there isn't much to disrupt.
So, for the next two years, Gov. Perry will continue to reach into our back pockets to pay for his jaunts across the country while simultaneously collecting both his salary as Governor and his state pension. Quite the gig he's got there, huh?
There are few things more ironic than politicians who accuse the poor of mooching off the state who have no problem dipping their hands into the taxpayer's pockets to pay for their jet-setting ways.
Gov. Rick Perry doesn't want to spend money on the poor. He doesn't want to expand Medicaid coverage. He doesn't want to increase education funding.
But, when it comes to out-of-state junkets, he is more than happy to bill the taxpayers for his security detail. Since his re-election in November 2010, the Fair-haired One has racked up $2.3 million in security charges for his travels. In the last quarter alone, after he shut down his disastrous presidential campaign, the taxpayers have forked out over $100,000 for his security detail in such places as Aspen, Boston and San Diego.
Of course I'm still waiting to see how any of those trips were necessary to his carrying out his duties as the chief executive of the Lone Star State.
Gov. Goodhair defends the expenses arguing that the world is a dangerous place and he must be under constant surveillance by state troopers. The only problem, Rick, is that most folks outside Texas wouldn't know you from Adam (just take a look at your numbers from the primaries). Furthermore, I doubt many terrorists have Perry in their sights in their quest for world domination.
What the Guv seems to have forgotten is that Texas has a weak governor system dating back to the end of Reconstruction and the desire of Texans to be out from under the thumb of the federal government. The real power broker in Austin is the lieutenant governor. He is the one who appoints committee chairs and breaks tie votes in the senate. The governor is reduced to signing or vetoing legislation and calling special sessions of the state legislature.
Not much to see there. If the terrorists really wanted to disrupt operations in Austin, they'd be better off targeting the lieutenant governor. But, since the legislature only meets for 140 days every other year, there isn't much to disrupt.
So, for the next two years, Gov. Perry will continue to reach into our back pockets to pay for his jaunts across the country while simultaneously collecting both his salary as Governor and his state pension. Quite the gig he's got there, huh?
Preventing the "Big One"
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My youngest daughter was sick this weekend so there we sat in the living room yesterday watching the tube. We alternated who got to watch what. She'd watch one of her shows on Nick Jr. and then I'd watch thirty minutes of the NASCAR race from Talladega.
As the race drew to a close the leader spun out and the yellow flag came out. There was going to be a frantic pack finish at NASCAR's longest and fastest track. Sure enough, the cars all moved in one giant amoeba-like mass as the next-to-last lap began. Due to safety concerns (allegedly), NASCAR mandates the use of restrictor plates which reduce the amount of air flowing into the engines. This keeps everyone at roughly the same horsepower and ensures that cars will run in a pack since a car running by itself is a sitting duck due to the aerodynamics of running nose-to-tail.
As the cars came through turn three on the final lap they started to jockey for position for the dash to the finish. Tony Stewart was on the bottom and in the lead. Matt Kenseth was running high and was in second. Then Stewart went low to try to block a driver and that's when all hell broke loose. As Matt Kenseth drove through turn four a massive 25 car wreck took out more than half the field less than a mile from the finish line.
NASCAR claims it restricts the speed of the cars to promote safety at a track where cars once reached speeds in excess of 210 mph. But the real effect of the restrictor plates is to create massive wrecks like the one that happened yesterday. TV audiences want wrecks and NASCAR delivers. It's a miracle that no one has died on the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway.
If NASCAR is really concerned about safety it's time to do away with the restrictor plates. If NASCAR is really concerned about safety, it's time to keep the cars from running in massive packs where one little wiggle can cause "the big one."
If NASCAR really wanted to make Talladega (and Daytona) safer they would reduce the size of the engines from 357 cubic inches (5.7 L) to 302 cubic inches (5.0 L). Next they would reduced the compression ratios in the engines. Reducing the engine size would reduce the horsepower which would reduce the speed. Lowering the compression ratios would also reduce the horsepower and speed of the cars. More importantly, however, is that these changes would affect the cars differently. Instead of everyone having a car with the same maximum horsepower, these changes would reward those teams who can find ways to go faster.
The end result would be no more pack racing. The racing at the track would be closer to what you see at other large racetracks. With more space between the cars there would be less chance of 15- and 20-car pileups.
Of course NASCAR won't do anything unless they are forced to do it. It will be up to the drivers to get together and make a stand. If anything is going to happen, it will happen because the drivers tell NASCAR that they won't race at Talladega until something is done to make it safer. Back when the track first opened in the 60's, the drivers went on strike and refused to race because they didn't feel it was safe. NASCAR sent in a bunch of replacement drivers and that quelled any dissent from the drivers. That ended dissent in the ranks.
With drivers today adorned in corporate logos from head-to-toe it's doubtful that anyone would be willing to stand up and make a stink. But, unless someone has the courage to speak their mind nothing will change.
As the race drew to a close the leader spun out and the yellow flag came out. There was going to be a frantic pack finish at NASCAR's longest and fastest track. Sure enough, the cars all moved in one giant amoeba-like mass as the next-to-last lap began. Due to safety concerns (allegedly), NASCAR mandates the use of restrictor plates which reduce the amount of air flowing into the engines. This keeps everyone at roughly the same horsepower and ensures that cars will run in a pack since a car running by itself is a sitting duck due to the aerodynamics of running nose-to-tail.
As the cars came through turn three on the final lap they started to jockey for position for the dash to the finish. Tony Stewart was on the bottom and in the lead. Matt Kenseth was running high and was in second. Then Stewart went low to try to block a driver and that's when all hell broke loose. As Matt Kenseth drove through turn four a massive 25 car wreck took out more than half the field less than a mile from the finish line.
NASCAR claims it restricts the speed of the cars to promote safety at a track where cars once reached speeds in excess of 210 mph. But the real effect of the restrictor plates is to create massive wrecks like the one that happened yesterday. TV audiences want wrecks and NASCAR delivers. It's a miracle that no one has died on the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway.
If NASCAR is really concerned about safety it's time to do away with the restrictor plates. If NASCAR is really concerned about safety, it's time to keep the cars from running in massive packs where one little wiggle can cause "the big one."
If NASCAR really wanted to make Talladega (and Daytona) safer they would reduce the size of the engines from 357 cubic inches (5.7 L) to 302 cubic inches (5.0 L). Next they would reduced the compression ratios in the engines. Reducing the engine size would reduce the horsepower which would reduce the speed. Lowering the compression ratios would also reduce the horsepower and speed of the cars. More importantly, however, is that these changes would affect the cars differently. Instead of everyone having a car with the same maximum horsepower, these changes would reward those teams who can find ways to go faster.
The end result would be no more pack racing. The racing at the track would be closer to what you see at other large racetracks. With more space between the cars there would be less chance of 15- and 20-car pileups.
Of course NASCAR won't do anything unless they are forced to do it. It will be up to the drivers to get together and make a stand. If anything is going to happen, it will happen because the drivers tell NASCAR that they won't race at Talladega until something is done to make it safer. Back when the track first opened in the 60's, the drivers went on strike and refused to race because they didn't feel it was safe. NASCAR sent in a bunch of replacement drivers and that quelled any dissent from the drivers. That ended dissent in the ranks.
With drivers today adorned in corporate logos from head-to-toe it's doubtful that anyone would be willing to stand up and make a stink. But, unless someone has the courage to speak their mind nothing will change.
Carpet bagging judges
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Last week I tried a dope case in Harris County. The regular judge was out for the week so we had a visiting judge. A judge who was terminated by the voters of Harris County back in 2008. A judge who wasn't accountable to the public.
Having said that, I thought he was very fair during voir dire. He never once tried to rehabilitate jurors for the state - a common pastime for judges in this part of the state. He gave us as much time as we needed and even had a damn good idea of who each of us wanted to challenge for cause.
The fun, however, began the next day.
We were dealing with a police officer who lied to the officer who wrote the offense report. He also took the stand and lied about what he saw on the evening in question. When I attempted to ask the lead officer if his job required him to lie to suspects, the judge shut me down. When we approached later and I told him (just as I had before the trial began) that we were dealing with police officers who were lying he just rolled his eyes and told me to give it a break.
After evidence was closed we discussed the jury charge. I pointed out that the charge should not read that it is the jury's duty to determine the guilt or innocence of my client. I pointed out that my client was presumed innocent, that the charge as worded implied we had some burden of proof and that the real question for the jury was whether or not the state had proven their case beyond all reasonable doubt.
Of course my objection was overruled because, as the (unelected) judge pointed out, this was the way the charges had been written in Harris County for years. I briefly thought about pointing out that slavery and segregation had existed for years but that didn't make them right - but I realized I would be wasting my time.
After our closing arguments were made we waited for the jury. The first note came out after about 30-40 minutes. They wanted to see the photographs of my client's truck. I knew we were good at that point because there were jurors who didn't believe the officer was being truthful. After about two-and-a-half hours the jury set a note stating they were deadlocked at 11-1 and asking what they should do. The (unelected) judge told them to keep deliberating. I told my client we were way ahead.
We went back out into the hallway to relax. While I was out there the prosecutor came out and asked to speak to me. She told me that the (unelected) judge wanted to know if my client would accept a plea. I told her that if he were going to accept a plea he would have done it before now. I also told her there was no plea they could offer that we would accept.
A few minutes later, as I told my client, the jury came back with a not guilty verdict.
But one thing still bugged me - and it bugs me to this day. Why was the (unelected) judge asking the prosecutor to try to make a deal with my client? What business was it of his how the case turned out? His role was supposed to be that of a neutral arbiter - not an advocate of the state. The (unelected) judge overstepped his boundaries and became involved with the prosecution of the case. That is an ethical violation. That is wrong.
I would like to say that the public terminated his employment because they were sick and tired of such shenanigans on the bench. But that had nothing to do with it. With the exception of attorneys who try cases in front of judges, no one has the slightest idea what they do, how they do it and whether or not they do it worth a shit. The only consideration in a judicial race is whether the candidate has an R or a D after his or her name.
In the meantime, those who were tossed out of office by the public continue to preside over trials because their buddies and former colleagues keep using them as visiting judges. It's a process that needs to stop. We elect our judges (no matter how messy the process) because our forebears were wary of the power of the state and figured that the best way to control the arms of the government was to make as many people as possible accountable to the voters.
Fortunately in my client's case, it all worked out the way it should have. Others haven't been so lucky.
Having said that, I thought he was very fair during voir dire. He never once tried to rehabilitate jurors for the state - a common pastime for judges in this part of the state. He gave us as much time as we needed and even had a damn good idea of who each of us wanted to challenge for cause.
The fun, however, began the next day.
We were dealing with a police officer who lied to the officer who wrote the offense report. He also took the stand and lied about what he saw on the evening in question. When I attempted to ask the lead officer if his job required him to lie to suspects, the judge shut me down. When we approached later and I told him (just as I had before the trial began) that we were dealing with police officers who were lying he just rolled his eyes and told me to give it a break.
After evidence was closed we discussed the jury charge. I pointed out that the charge should not read that it is the jury's duty to determine the guilt or innocence of my client. I pointed out that my client was presumed innocent, that the charge as worded implied we had some burden of proof and that the real question for the jury was whether or not the state had proven their case beyond all reasonable doubt.
Of course my objection was overruled because, as the (unelected) judge pointed out, this was the way the charges had been written in Harris County for years. I briefly thought about pointing out that slavery and segregation had existed for years but that didn't make them right - but I realized I would be wasting my time.
After our closing arguments were made we waited for the jury. The first note came out after about 30-40 minutes. They wanted to see the photographs of my client's truck. I knew we were good at that point because there were jurors who didn't believe the officer was being truthful. After about two-and-a-half hours the jury set a note stating they were deadlocked at 11-1 and asking what they should do. The (unelected) judge told them to keep deliberating. I told my client we were way ahead.
We went back out into the hallway to relax. While I was out there the prosecutor came out and asked to speak to me. She told me that the (unelected) judge wanted to know if my client would accept a plea. I told her that if he were going to accept a plea he would have done it before now. I also told her there was no plea they could offer that we would accept.
A few minutes later, as I told my client, the jury came back with a not guilty verdict.
But one thing still bugged me - and it bugs me to this day. Why was the (unelected) judge asking the prosecutor to try to make a deal with my client? What business was it of his how the case turned out? His role was supposed to be that of a neutral arbiter - not an advocate of the state. The (unelected) judge overstepped his boundaries and became involved with the prosecution of the case. That is an ethical violation. That is wrong.
I would like to say that the public terminated his employment because they were sick and tired of such shenanigans on the bench. But that had nothing to do with it. With the exception of attorneys who try cases in front of judges, no one has the slightest idea what they do, how they do it and whether or not they do it worth a shit. The only consideration in a judicial race is whether the candidate has an R or a D after his or her name.
In the meantime, those who were tossed out of office by the public continue to preside over trials because their buddies and former colleagues keep using them as visiting judges. It's a process that needs to stop. We elect our judges (no matter how messy the process) because our forebears were wary of the power of the state and figured that the best way to control the arms of the government was to make as many people as possible accountable to the voters.
Fortunately in my client's case, it all worked out the way it should have. Others haven't been so lucky.
9 Ekim 2012 Salı
Gumming up the works
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The post was already written. The execution was scheduled for Wednesday night. The victim was a 12-year-old girl. His only hope was that a judge would grant his request for a stay so someone could decide whether he was competent to be strapped down to a gurney and murdered by the state.
Jonathan Green's life was spared, at least temporarily, by US District Judge Nancy Atlas. Judge Atlas ruled that the mental competency hearing held to determine whether Mr. Green was competent enough to kill violated Mr. Green's due process rights. She also ruled that the judge who conducted it used the wrong standard to determine whether Mr. Green was competent.
Two years ago a stay was granted so that a hearing could be held to determine whether Mr. Green could be executed. The judge, Lisa Michalk, scheduled the hearing so soon after the court ordered it that medical personnel from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice who treated Mr. Green were unable to appear. The judge then denied defense motions to continue the hearing so that the witnesses would be available.
The judge made her decision based upon the testimony of two state's witnesses without affording the defense an adequate opportunity to be heard.
The stay is not to determine whether Mr. Green, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, is competent, but to determine whether his due process rights were violated by the manner in which Judge Michalk conducted the competency hearing.
Mr. Green's guilt has never been at issue. The sole issue has been his mental state of being. It's not a sexy death penalty abolition case. But it is a case that examines the way in which we allow the state to send people to their deaths.
For those who truly believe in limited government, the notion that the state can order a man murdered without affording him his due process rights in a hearing to determine his competency, is more than troubling. The ability to kill is the most intrusive power the government has and here we have a case in which a judge did what she could to make certain that the playing field was not level for a man challenging the state's right to kill him.
The fight against the death penalty isn't on the innocence front. The fight is over the minutiae of the death machine. In Mr. Green's case, questions about the mechanics of a competency hearing have gummed up the works.
Jonathan Green's life was spared, at least temporarily, by US District Judge Nancy Atlas. Judge Atlas ruled that the mental competency hearing held to determine whether Mr. Green was competent enough to kill violated Mr. Green's due process rights. She also ruled that the judge who conducted it used the wrong standard to determine whether Mr. Green was competent.
Two years ago a stay was granted so that a hearing could be held to determine whether Mr. Green could be executed. The judge, Lisa Michalk, scheduled the hearing so soon after the court ordered it that medical personnel from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice who treated Mr. Green were unable to appear. The judge then denied defense motions to continue the hearing so that the witnesses would be available.
The judge made her decision based upon the testimony of two state's witnesses without affording the defense an adequate opportunity to be heard.
The stay is not to determine whether Mr. Green, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, is competent, but to determine whether his due process rights were violated by the manner in which Judge Michalk conducted the competency hearing.
Mr. Green's guilt has never been at issue. The sole issue has been his mental state of being. It's not a sexy death penalty abolition case. But it is a case that examines the way in which we allow the state to send people to their deaths.
For those who truly believe in limited government, the notion that the state can order a man murdered without affording him his due process rights in a hearing to determine his competency, is more than troubling. The ability to kill is the most intrusive power the government has and here we have a case in which a judge did what she could to make certain that the playing field was not level for a man challenging the state's right to kill him.
The fight against the death penalty isn't on the innocence front. The fight is over the minutiae of the death machine. In Mr. Green's case, questions about the mechanics of a competency hearing have gummed up the works.
An superior and Safe Driver
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Driver Safety School - An superior and Safe Driver.The content is good quality and useful content, Which is new is that you just never knew before that I know is that I even have discovered. Before the distinctive. It is now near to enter destination An superior and Safe Driver.
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Driver Safety School! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.In a driving school, the town of consulation is how one should come to be a good and safe driver. A driving study curriculum must town on improving the ability of the person to come to be a safe driver with notice to all aspects of the road.
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We had a good read. For the benefit of yourself. Be sure to read to the end. I want you to get good knowledge from Driver Safety School.Actually, it is hard to expound a good and safe driver. For one to qualify in becoming an superior driver, he must have anticipation, concentration, attitude, self-discipline, and knowledge from a good driving study program. The aggregate of these capabilities makes a person to ride his car with safety and great safety against any mishaps.
Anticipation - The Art of Defensive Driving
In driving school supervised training, the trainee will be trained on how to anticipate sudden turns, brakes, or deceleration of the car in the road. With such anticipation, it is easier to avoid bumping on other cars or property, or even injuring own life or others. This is all about defensive driving in the driving study class.
The road is full of signs and signals - a good drive anticipate actions and reaction to these signs and signals. To note, one can facilely anticipate that a truck will decelerate its speed when approaching a curve, which will also necessitate him or her to decelerate and not to get close with the truck. Defensive driving study aims to target the value of judgment of the person.
Concentration - The Art of Integration
In the driving school, a proper training on how to use body movements in response to eye attention is a top consideration. Why? For one to learn how to drive safely without the anxiousness and panic, integration of these body faculties must be properly possessed. In fact, attention on the brake or in the steering wheel alone will not make a person an superior driver. Nevertheless, if one will learn how to drive with the attention on all these aspects, one can avoid any qoute in the road.
Attitude - The Art of Consistency
In anything, attitude is a top matter. Yes, you will not learn how to drive safely without the right attitude. Even if the expert driving study trainer you have is the best of the world, attitude is all the time a determining factor in learning the right way in driving defensively and safely. Trimming the attitude is a goal of any driving school - to teach kids on how to use their attitude to learn and not to ruin their lives.
Self-discipline - The Art of Control
Do you all the time get excited when you steer the wheels? That's a great problem. Self-discipline is a commodity that must be bought by driver to stop that ego in producing accidents. Yes, a driving school will undoubtedly tell any student-driver not to drive very fast. However, when one gets in the road, no more driving study will be applied because of the hyped thought. As much as you can, put some operate in your ego and maneuver the car with safety nets in your hand.
Knowledge - The Art of Complication
The knowledge that you have learned from a driving school must be applied. You did not enroll in a driving study program just to get your license. You take the time to enroll in the program to gain knowledge about the rules and regulations of the road, about the signs and signals that are in the road, about how to drive with proper attitude. With what you learn, it is valuable to apply them once you are in the car.
I hope you get new knowledge about Driver Safety School. Where you possibly can offer used in your everyday life. And most significantly, your reaction is Driver Safety School.View Related articles related to Driver Safety School. I Roll below. I even have suggested my friends to assist share the Facebook Twitter Like Tweet. Can you share An superior and Safe Driver.Driver security - Dangers of Riding in the Bed of a Pick-Up Truck
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Online Driver Safety - Driver security - Dangers of Riding in the Bed of a Pick-Up Truck.The content is good quality and helpful content, That is new is that you simply never knew before that I know is that I even have discovered. Before the distinctive. It is now near to enter destination Driver security - Dangers of Riding in the Bed of a Pick-Up Truck.
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Online Driver Safety! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.A pick-up truck is a vehicle that's specifically designed to carry heavy loads of cargo. As a passenger transport vehicle however, it doesn't do so well. There are dangers in riding in pick-up truck beds, and as fun as riding in the back of a truck with a bunch of buddies sounds, it's dangerous.
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We had a good read. For the benefit of yourself. Be sure to read to the end. I want you to get good knowledge from Online Driver Safety.Here are some of the dangers of riding in the bed of a pick-up truck:
No seat belts - There are no seat belts in a pick-up truck bed. In most states, it is illegal for passengers of a vehicle to ride without seat belts. There's precisely a law in some states that prohibit passengers under the age of 18 to ride in truck beds unrestrained. While persons 18 years and older are allowed to ride unrestrained in pick-up truck beds, the likelihood of a minor emergency turning fatal for them is doubled.
High opening of being ejected - Without seat belts, minor bumps and other obstacles on the road may prove fatal. Riding in the bed of a pick-up truck raises the opening for passengers to be ejected, turning a minor collision into a fatal collision. In Florida alone, there have been a lot of cases of passenger deaths due to ejection from a pick-up truck, and the truck driver may be expensed with vehicular homicide.
Designed for cargo, not passengers - The very existence of a pick-up truck bed is solely for carrying cargo, not passengers. Even cargo should be securely secured to the pick-up bed. Imagine what damage an unrestrained 2X4 piece of wood could do if it were to fly straight through the rear window in a crash.
Any vehicle should be driven and used only for its intended purpose. The bed of a pick-up truck is Not for transporting passengers. Pick-up truck operators should always seek safety when it comes to driving and interacting with other motorists.
I hope you receive new knowledge about Online Driver Safety. Where you'll be able to offer used in your daily life. And most importantly, your reaction is Online Driver Safety.View Related articles related to Online Driver Safety. I Roll below. I even have suggested my friends to assist share the Facebook Twitter Like Tweet. Can you share Driver security - Dangers of Riding in the Bed of a Pick-Up Truck.Florida Arrest Records - Free Or Paid Version?
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Texas Department Of Public Safety - Florida Arrest Records - Free Or Paid Version?.The content is good quality and helpful content, That is new is that you just never knew before that I know is that I even have discovered. Prior to the unique. It is now near to enter destination Florida Arrest Records - Free Or Paid Version?.
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Texas Department Of Public Safety! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.Background checks are fast becoming a standard practice for both recruiting new employees and appraising existing ones. In the interest of security and safety, criminal history record checks have inevitably become the most sought after records as a gauge of human character. For certain sensitive positions, certain form of criminal background check is a pre-requisite to be considered no matter voluntary or employed.
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We had a good read. For the benefit of yourself. Be sure to read to the end. I want you to get good knowledge from Texas Department Of Public Safety.The trend and scenario in Florida is no different from that of the rest of the country. Criminal History Record Check is generally employed to evaluate an individual's suitability for any particular job placement. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) is tasked with maintaining and providing criminal history information to the public.
Per the state laws, Florida arrest records are public records. Unless they are expunged or sealed by the courts, it's possible for anyone to request free arrest records from the responsible government agencies. Admin fees may be required but the records themselves won't be charged. Uniquely, all arrests are recorded regardless of outcome. As a result, even dropped charges, plea bargain and other form of compromise or let-off would still be captured on file, at least at the apprehension stage.
County agencies such as police departments, highway patrols, sheriff's offices and other enforcement agencies all over the state of Florida keep records of all the arrests they make. They also submit them every month to the state repository to be compiled and maintained at state level. In parallel, all Florida arrest records are also reported to higher federal agencies namely the FBI and Justice Department.
Arrest records are commonly used for screening new employees by companies and privately for investigating neighbors, friends, relatives or just about any people. Free arrest records may be obtained from the various county enforcement agencies or the state department. It must be noted that there are restrictions on their official use and treatment. People should check their own arrest records regularly to guard against errors and inaccuracies.
Figuring out the lawfulness in utilizing arrest records especially in official applications such as pre-employment screening is not easy. Lawyers or experts are usually needed. Another practical option is to simply source the arrest information from commercial record providers and let them handle the legality issues. These folks are experts on the subject in their own right. We can then do what we are good at.
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